A MAN was shot in the head and chest by a motorbike-riding attacker who opened fire with a handgun.

John Smedley, 29, was injured after an argument with the gunman on Persia Street, Accrington, at around 6pm yesterday.

Witnesses described seeing a man pull up on a motorbike outside the terraced house before firing four shots from a .22 handgun.

It is believed Mr Smedley, a father of triplets who is known locally as Irish John, was hit three times but escaped serious injury.

The injured man, who lives in Norfolk Grove, Church, was taken, still conscious, to Blackburn Infirmary for treatment and was "quite comfortable" today.

Armed police swooped on the area and surrounded a house further along Persia Street.

But the attacker, who is believed to be a local man, escaped from the scene and was still being hunted by officers today.

Police said they knew the identity of the man and appealed for him to give himself up.

Det Insp Jim Oldcorn said: "Feelings are running high and it may be in his best interests to come to the police station."

One man who witnessed the shooting but refused to be named, said: "A man arrived on a motorbike and went to the house before firing what I later realised was four shots.

"I saw the ambulance and thought somebody had suffered a heart attack or something.

"Then I saw the police and realised it must have been a shooting." Mr Smedley's wife Amanda said: "They have taken one pellet out of the back of his head and he has a big lump there.

"He has still got one in the right hand side of his chest which they are X-raying today to see how far in it has gone."

She saidher husband had gone to a friend's house for a drink.

"He was walking up the street and this man jumped out from behind a car and started shooting at him with a pellet gun," she said.

"He got one in the back of his bead, one in his chest and one grazed his finger.

"He had put his hand up to protect his head, otherwise there would have been two pellets in his head.

"If they hit you in the wrong place they say they can kill you."

Amanda said: "He was bothered about who would do such a stupid thing like that when there were a lot of kids about.

"I think John was quite shocked. Its the first time I have ever seen him quiet."

The couple's triplets will be six months old on John's 29th birthday next week.

They also have three other children aged seven, six and five.

Amanda said: "They didn't really want to go to school today. They were very upset about their dad."

Inspector Paul Robinson, of Accrington police, said: "The police responded to a report of a firearms incident, just after 6pm on Persia Street.

"A local man sustained injuries to his upper body, although they are not life threatening.

"He was taken to Blackburn Infirmary and our inquiries into the incident are continuing."

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