DETECTIVES were today trying to piece together the missing 42 hours in the life of a Blackburn teenager who was shot in the head and left for dead.

Police said Anthony James Rigby, 18, had not been seen for two days before he was found barely conscious and lying in a pool of blood at his flat in Swift Close, Larkhill. He was shot in the head, although police said it was still unclear exactly what type of weapon or what type of bullet had caused the wound.

Forensic scientists were today examining evidence recovered from the scene to try to establish what type of weapon was used.

Mr Rigby, who lived alone in the flat, was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary at around midday on Monday, following the shooting but was later transfered to the head injuries unit at the Royal Preston Hospital where his condition was today described as critical. Detectives were today due to quiz a 19-year-old local man arrested in connection with the shooting.

Neighbours said Anthony had been in the flat, where he lived on his own, for about 12 months.

One neighbour said: "I have lived here for about 26 years, and although it has gone down a bit, you don't expect anything like this. It's shocking."

Anthony was described as a "quiet lad" who did not have many dealings with his neighbours.

One said: "I would say hello to him when we passed but that was all. He seems a nice lad and has a lot of friends around here. I would see him setting off to work every morning."

Another added: "He is a bit of a nighthawk, you rarely see him during the day. He has friends round at this flat but I think he lives alone."

One neighbour said she saw the emergency services arrive shortly after the call was made, around midday.

The neighbour said: "I think it was his mum who phoned for the ambulance; she comes round to his flat quite a lot.

"It's awful, he seems a nice enough lad."

Det Supt Ian Jones, of the Lancashire Constabulary's senior investigating officer team, is heading up the inquiry into the shooting from an incident room at Blackburn Police Station.

He said police were keen to piece together the exact course of events leading up to the shooting and to talk to anyone who may have seen Mr Rigby between 6.30pm on Saturday when he left a relative's address and midday on Monday, when he was found by a family member.

He said the motive for the attack was a mystery, but that police had no reason to believe it was drug related.

He added: "We really need to build up a picture between when Mr Rigby was last seen and when he was found in his flat.

"We also want to talk to anyone who may have seen him during that time or knows Anthony or who knows of any reason why anyone would want to commit such a grave offence as this."