UK schoolboy shot in head after thinking pistol was BB gun

A British schoolboy is lucky to be alive after accidentally being shot in the head with a pistol.

On 7 April, an 11-year-old boy was walking through a wooded area near Wadhurst Gardens in Southampton with a friend when they came across what they thought was a BB gun. BB pistols are a name used for 'toy-like' guns which shoot pellets instead of bullets.

BB guns and other air weapons are legal, but heavily regulated in the UK. It is an offence to possess an air rifle which resembles a real firearm in a public setting.

The pair then took the gun home, where one boy accidentally fired the weapon towards the other. Fortunately, the boy was not seriously injured in the incident, with the gunshot causing minor grazing to his head.

The boys found the weapon in a patch of woodland in Southampton (Solent News)

Hampshire police were then called, with the force confirming the gun was in fact a pistol. Officers were then taken to the scene by the boys, with an investigation into how the gun made it into the woodland taking place.

"As soon as this incident was reported to us on Tuesday, our teams were swiftly in attendance and have been carrying out thorough enquiries and searches in the area since," Chief Inspector Chris Douglas, deputy district commander for Southampton, 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 and allow us to start further enquiries."

The schoolkids took the gun home, where one of the boys accidentally shot the other (Solent News)

The wooded area where the gun was found remains cordoned off, as police continue their inquiries. Chief Inspector Douglas acknowledged that the closure of the wooded area had caused disruption to residents and thanked them for their patience as the search continued.

"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 continued.

The area remains cordoned off while enquiries are ongoing (Solent News)

He went on to confirm that officers would remain in the area to carry out enquiries and urged residents who had any 'concerns or questions' to come forward.

"These kinds of firearms are often used to threaten people and cause serious harm, and we are committed to tackling and disrupting serious criminal activity," Chief Inspector Douglas said.

"Our teams remain in the area today, and will be conducting patrols and house-to-house enquiries. If you do have any concerns or questions, then please do not hesitate to speak with them."