Man in hospital after shooting

Detctives say the shootings appear to be linked

A 57-year-old man has been shot in the face by thieves who tried to steal his car.

It is the second such shooting in the same area of Birmingham in the past week.

The man was loading his Audi estate car on an industrial estate when two men tried to steal the vehicle.

As he attempted to stop them, he was shot up the nose with what is believed to be an air pistol.

Surgery needed

The man is now seriously ill in hospital and may need surgery to remove the pellet.

The incident happened in the Newtown area.

In nearby Aston on Tuesday, a young couple and their baby son escaped injury when thieves shot at them in broad daylight before stealing their car.

Police believe the incidents are related and they have condemned the attackers.

The couple were shot at during the morning rush hour.

Shot fired

They had just parked their Mercedes near their home when they were confronted by two youths in their late teens.

The youths, who were armed with a handgun, demanded the keys to the car before firing a shot in the husband's direction. He was unhurt.

As the robbery was taking place, his wife stood nearby cradling their 20-month-old son.

Couple 'terrified'

The thieves then jumped into the car and drove over the pavement and around a set of bollards before escaping along a main road.

West Midlands Police said the couple had been "terrified" by the incident, which was all the more alarming because it happened in broad daylight.

The police have warned people with high-powered vehicles to be particularly wary.