POLICE are hunting a gunman who shot a grandmother with an air weapon as she returned home from looking after her grandson.

Dorothy Munro, 61, was left bleeding after the incident in Padiham.

Dorothy, a retired police station domestic worker, of St John's Road, Padiham, said: "It is awful that something like this could happen here.

"We only returned to Padiham from Wales in May and chose here because it is such a nice area."

Her husband Peter said: "I am worried who could be the next victim. Our daughter was standing in her doorway at the time. She is pregnant and it could have been her."

The incident, which is being investigated by police, happened at about 10.20pm on Friday. Dorothy had been looking after her grandson, Scott, 11, while her daughter Beverley went out for the evening.

She said: "I was walking home and although it is only two doors away Beverley waits at her door until I get in.

"I was level with the house in between our homes when suddenly I felt a thwack and a pain on my backside. I shouted to Beverley I had been hit.

"I turned round and saw a lad down the road towards Padiham run back round the bottom of the street.

"I was not running after him to risk him shooting me again but Peter went out to look but he had gone."

Although the wound was bleeding she decided not to seek medical help until the next day.

When she went to the doctor she was advised she should have gone to hospital.

The wound was dressed and she decided to follow medical advice and went to Burnley General Hospital on Saturday night.

She said: "I was told the pellet could have penetrated and could cause infection.

"I was at the hospital for six hours waiting for an X-ray from 10.15pm until about 4am. The X-ray didn't show anything and we got back home at 4.45am.

Dorothy said there had been another air gun incident near her home. About six weeks ago a motorist pulled up and went to look over the cemetery wall opposite her home. He said he had heard two things hit his car and stopped to find two dents in the body work.

Det Sgt Steve Mounsey said police were treating the matter seriously and appealed for anyone with information or who knew of anyone going round the area with an air weapon to contact Burnley CID on 01282 472144 or ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.