Boy, 11, suffers graze after gun he found goes off

An 11-year-old boy has suffered a graze to his head after a gun he found in woodland with another boy accidentally went off.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said the boys found what they thought was a BB gun in a wooded area close to Tickleford Drive in Weston, Southampton, on Tuesday evening.

The force said one of the boys was hurt after they took it back home and the weapon was accidentally fired.

Cordons remain in place and officers are continuing to carry out searches in the woodland after being taken to the area where the firearm was located by the boys.

Chf Insp Chris Douglas, deputy district commander for Southampton, said officers were "swiftly in attendance" after the incident was reported.

"We know that our scenes will have disrupted people's normal daily routines, and we want to thank local residents for their patience as we carry out our investigation," he said.

"Thankfully, this discovery has not resulted in more serious injuries, and the boys and their families have acted quickly to report the matter to us."

The force said patrols and house-to-house inquiries were ongoing, with residents urged to speak to officers if they had any concerns or questions.