A SECURITY guard today told of his horror after he was shot in the arm by an airgun sniper.

Gerald McDonald, 53, was locking up for the night at the NHS Archives building off Brunswick Street, Nelson, when he felt a sudden, sharp pain in his forearm.

He was taken to Burnley General Hospital after the incident on Tuesday night but doctors told him they were not going to remove the pellet.

Mr McDonald, from Nelson, said today: "I'd just locked the gates and everybody was off site. I turned back and I was walking towards the office when I felt something hit my arm. I got a bit of a shock.

"The doctors were going to take it out but they decided to leave it in. They said the operation would be more hurtful than leaving it in. But they told me if it bothers me they can take it out."

The wound is currently covered with a bandage.

But Mr McDonald, who has worked for Senator Security for the last 18 months, revealed his injury could have been a lot worse.

He added: "It could have had my eye out or it could have been a child. These are very powerful weapons."

Sergeant John Fryer from Nelson CID said: "These are very dangerous weapons.

"If you hit someone in the wrong place then they can be lethal and people have been killed in the past by airguns.

"It is very worrying that this happened to a man who was going about his normal job."

Anyone with information can contact Burnley Police on 01282 425001 and ask for PC Marc Craven or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.