A teenager nearly lost an eye when he was shot and wounded with a ball-bearing gun.

Recovering - Kevin with mum, Angela Picture: STEVE ARGENT

Kevin Meldrum was in Harwich Road, Colchester, with one of his friends when two men pulled up in a car and asked for directions.

Then the driver shot at them, hitting him in the face and his friend in the neck, before driving off laughing about the attack.

Kevin, 17, said: "We were sitting at a bus stop when two men stopped in a car and asked the way to the old cinema.

"Then one of them pulled out a BB-gun and shot me in the eye and my mate in the neck."

Colin Stiff, of Colchester police, said the attackers were described as black and struck at about 3.30am on Thursday before driving off in a blue Vauxhall Nova.

Anyone with information about the attack should call police on 01206 762212 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.

Published Monday August 9, 2004

Brought to you by the Evening Gazette