TWO youths have been arrested after a boy was shot in the leg with an air rifle pellet.

A group of five youths were in Stampers Park, Tovil, Maidstone, near the River Medway, on Wednesday, when one of them took three shots at another group of six boys on the other bank.

One of the shots hit a boy and the pellet became lodged deep in his leg, close to the bone.

He was taken to Maidstone Hospital and needed surgery to remove it.

A 15-year-old was arrested on suspicion of assault and possession of a firearm with intent to cause injury, and has been released on bail, pending further inquiries. An 11-year-old was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage.

He is accused of taking potshots with a catapult and damaging a dinghy.

Two police officers, PC Gabriel Chandler and PC James Williams, who were patrolling the area on bicycles, carried out an area and house search and were able to confiscate the weapons, which were found in nearby woods.

PC Chandler, who made the arrests, said: “As we have been patrolling this area on bikes it makes us more accessible to the public and more practical to apprehend an offender.

“It is another example of the wide police arsenal which we can utilise to great effect.

“I would like to make an appeal to local residents that if anyone is seen with an air weapon to report it to us immediately.”

It is an arrestable offence to carry an air weapon, either loaded or unloaded, or to carry an imitation firearm in public.

This includes ball bearing guns, pellet guns and similar weapons.

Any of these guns can be fired on private property, as long as it does not cause harassment, alarm or distress to others.

The only time it is acceptable to carry one of these weapons in public is if it is properly cased and unloaded, and there is a good reason for moving it.