A 20-year-old man narrowly missed being shot in the shoulder, after he and his friends were victims of an attack at the Western Heights on Sunday.

Alex Sartain of Deal, and Calum Forrestor of Dover, was at the time, assisting two Austrian students who were filming a piece for a university project.

He said: “We run a history group on Facebook and some foreign students got in contact with us and asked if we could take them to some places.”

A group of 10 youths, believed to be aged between 18 and 19 were seen around the area, in South Military Road, firing pellets from what has been described as “air weapons.”

Mr Sartain warned the group to be careful as they where shooting in the direction of people.
He said: “There could have been kids walking with their parents.”

It was about 15 minutes afterwards, at around 3pm, that he heard the whistle of a pellet skim past his shoulder and into a nearby wall, missing him by a couple of inches.

The youths are said to have aimed fire at Mr Sartain and egged the others, breaking the lens cover on the camera that the students had hired from university.

The equipment is estimated to be worth between £3-4,000.
A spokeswoman from Kent Police said: “The man has reported that at least two of the youths had what looked like air weapons and, when they were out of view, he has heard a conversation followed by shots fired which have landed near to him.”

Mr Sartain reported that he heard further shots but was not injured.

“I cannot understand their mentality." - Alex Sartain

“I cannot understand their mentality, he said.
“I have always never wanted to touch a gun.”
As for the Austrian students, this incident seems to have tarnished their view of Dover.

He added: “They were devastated it broke the camera, they had to be calmed down.
“One said they had never seen a gun before, it was quite a shock.
“They came from some where that doesn’t have beaches - they thought it was a lovely place, but they take it all back.”