Teenager Nicole shot by sniper (From Warrington Guardian)

Teenager Nicole shot by sniper

TWO teenage girls were shot by a yob with an air rifle in Crewe last week, leaving one with a pellet lodged in her thigh.

Nicole Wilks, aged 14, of Rope Lane, and her friend were walking near Shavington High School last Tuesday evening when they were shot in the thigh and shin respectively.

The pellet that hit Nicole penetrated her jeans and is still deeply embedded in her inner thigh because medics decided that it is too close to the major nerve and blood vessel to risk removing it.

She is now due to go back to Leighton Hospital on Monday to see whether doctors can carry out surgery to remove the pellet.

The incident happened between 7.30pm and 7.45pm when the girls were shot as they walked near fields bordering the school.

Her friends noticed a group of youths aged around 15 firing the air rifle in the fields before they turned the gun on them.

Nicole said: "I am fine now but I was shaken at the time.

"I just felt this pain in my leg and then saw it was bleeding but I thought it had just bounced off me.

"I would prefer to have the pellet out but if it's going to cause more harm than good then it is not worth it."

Nicole's father Stephen said: "As you can imagine, she was very distressed.

"We immediately reported the matter to the local police who responded very well - sending both a PC and an armed response car.

"The police advised us to go to the A&E department, which we did, to be sure the pellet had not actually entered her leg.

"Imagine our horror when we saw the X-ray that showed the pellet was not only still in her leg, but deeply embedded.

"So now she is walking around with a lead pellet in her leg.

"It is frightening for Nicole to think the shot was only millimetres away from causing her major long-term damage."

Her mother Jo said: "It was bad enough as it was, but it could have been a lot worse, it could have taken her eye out.

"We want to warn other youngsters about the dangers, I don't think the lads who fired it really know how dangerous it can be."