A LOCAL mother has spoken out against children being bought air guns as toys after her young daughters were terrorised by a gang in a play area.

The woman from Bowerham said her six and 10 year olds were left traumatised by a gang of young boys who fired pellets at them.

The police have since spoken to the youngsters who are too young to be prosecuted but the mother says its wrong that these "toy" weapons should be in the hands of children.

She told the Citizen: "My daughters were very traumatised, they had holes in their T-shirts and were cut and marked where they had been hit. It's terrifying to have someone point a gun at you, even though it's only classed as a toy. I think they should be banned and at the very least they should not be given as presents to children."