A TEENAGER was fighting for his life today after it is believed he was shot in the head and left for dead in his own home.

The 18 year old, who neighbours said was called Anthony Rigby, was found barely conscious and lying in a pool of blood at his flat in Swift Close, Blackburn, by a relative at around noon yesterday.

He was taken to Blackburn Infirmary with serious head injuries but was later transferred to a special unit at the Royal Preston Hospital. His condition today was described critical.

Paramedics from Blackburn ambulance were called to the scene at 11.54am but the service's duty manager would only confirm a man had been taken to Blackburn Infirmary following an assault.

The police were called shortly after midday and were in Swift Close well into the late evening while detectives and scenes of crime officers investigated the scene and collected forensic evidence.

Police have now set up an investigation team into the shooting under Detective Superintendent Paul Buschini, of Lancashire Constabulary's Senior Investigating Officer team, and have set up an incident room at Blackburn Police Station while they carry out inquiries into the attack.

A police officer was today still guarding the flat in Swift Close. Further details of the incident were expected to be released later today.

One resident said that police had turned away bin men yesterday. "I have lived here for 26 years and this area has got really bad. We have had a lot of problems with drugs in the past. Yesterday police were everywhere with sniffer dogs. They were here all day."

Another resident said: "I saw the ambulance. I didn't see them put anyone inside but we were talking about it later and someone said the person had head injuries.

"It used to be a beautiful estate until they started putting troublemakers in."

Canon Jude Harrison, of St Alban's Church, Larkhill, said: "There is more and more of this sort of thing happening and it is absolutely shocking."