POLICE are appealing for information after a five-year-old girl was shot with a ball-bearing gun by another child.

The girl suffered bruising to her face after the boy, believed to be aged between six and eight, shot her in a play park.

She was playing on equipment at the newly-restored Village Park, in Thorntree Avenue, Thornaby, Stockton, at 4.45pm on Sunday, July 24, when two boys approached her with the gun.

One of the boys fired and a pellet hit the girl in the face. She was not seriously hurt.

A police spokeswoman said: "Police are appealing for information after the five-year-old was hit in the face with a gun pellet as she played.

"A pellet hit her face, leaving a red bump and bruising to her cheek."

Details of the attack came as a shock to the secretary of the Village Park Residents' Association, Peter Brennan, who learned only yesterday of the incident.

He said: "Since we got the new play park put in a couple of months ago, there have been a lot more children making use of the area.

"I was not aware of any kind of problem with air rifles there.

"I am sure the police and the community wardens will be doing their best to get to the bottom of it and make sure it does not happen again."

The boy who fired the gun was said to have short, fair hair. He was wearing a white T-shirt and navy tracksuit bottoms.

Anyone with information has been asked to call Thornaby police on (01642) 302226.