Girl shot in face at school

The girl was shot as she played at morning break

A schoolgirl needed hospital treatment after being shot in the face by a fellow pupil with a ball-bearing gun, it has emerged.

Education chiefs said the 12-year-old was hit by a plastic pellet from the gun in the playground of St Peter's High School, Gloucester, on Wednesday.

It narrowly missed the girl's eye and injured her cheek during the incident at morning break.

The gun had been bought in Spain and taken to school by another 12-year-old girl who was firing it in the playground with three friends.

Plastic pellet

The wounded girl was treated at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital before being sent home to recover.

Headteacher Lawrence Montagu said: "A young girl got hit by the side of the eye with a pellet from a ball-bearing gun.

"She very fortunate that she was only hit on the cheek bone but we cannot accept this sort of thing going on.

"The matter is being taken very seriously and everybody is horrified.

"The safety of our students is of paramount importance but in a way we are lucky it happened at school.

Gun seized

"The four girls thought it was just horseplay but were totally full of remorse once they realised what the consequences could have been.

"The question is how 12-year-olds have access to guns like this.

"Kids will be kids when they get together and we have to be careful what comes their way. These guns should be banned."

Mr Montagu and governors from the mixed 11-18 comprehensive school have seized the gun and contacted pupils and parents.

He said the police would not be involved as there was no intent.