A gunman is being hunted after a young teacher out celebrating her birthday in Maidstone was hit in a drive-by shooting.

The woman, who works at St Simon Stock School in Oakwood Park, was taken to hospital with profuse bleeding after being struck in the arm by an airgun pellet.

She had been enjoying her 28th birthday with friends in Earl Street when the attacker struck.

The group were walking along Pudding Lane at about 9.15pm when they were startled by a loud noise.

The PE teacher, who asked not to be named, said: "We heard a bang and I thought to myself 'my arm hurts'. I thought someone had thrown something at me.

"I walked for about five minutes and then I realised I was bleeding, and when I took my clothes off there was a hole in my arm. I think after that I went into a bit of a state of shock."

"I was told at the hospital I was lucky it hadn't been much higher or it might have gone through my neck..." - PE teacher shot with airgun

The pellet, which had passed through her coat and dress and lodged in her arm, had to be removed by staff at A&E in Maidstone.

She added: "It feels like I have been punched in the arm about a million times. I was told at the hospital I was lucky it hadn't been much higher or it might have gone through my neck."

Police said they believed the shot had been fired from a passing car, due to the angle that it entered her arm.

Officers are conducting inquiries, including looking at CCTV in the area. They are treating the offence, last Wednesday, as actual bodily harm.

DC Wes Marston said: "This appears to be an isolated and random incident, and fortunately the victim did not suffer significant injury.

"However, it is a very nasty act against an innocent person so I would be very keen to hear from anyone with information."

Anyone who can help is urged to phone police on 101.

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