A SNIPER injured four pupils after blasting them with an air pistol as they played on fields at Coney Green High School.

Now, police have launched a hunt for the gunman who fired the weapon from a nearby canal bank as the youngsters played at the rear of the school on Tuesday (Sept 19)..

Four boys, all aged 11, were hit by pellets before their teacher herded them and a number of fellow pupils back into the safety of the main building and called police.

Officers later scoured the canal bank but by then the gunman had fled. Three of the youngsters required treatment for their injuries, but did not go to hospital.

Two of the boys were hit on the hip, another sustained bruising to his upper arm while the fourth pupil sustained a cut to his thumb. The shootings took place at around 1.20pm when the youngsters were using the school's playing fields for sports practice.

A staff member who was with the group acted swiftly to shepherd the youngsters back into the school and out of the range of the air gun.

Yesterday, senior staff at Coney Green High School issued a brief statement. "There was an incident at the rear of the school.

"Staff responsible for a group of students took them immediately to the safety of the building. Police were informed and they are currently investigating." They declined to make further comment.

Meanwhile, police officers have issued a description of the gunman.

He was aged around 16, 5ft 9inch tall with brown hair and was wearing a grey raincoat, with a black stripe on the hood, blue trousers and blue training shoes.

Anyone with information is asked to ring PC Simon Akker at Whitefield police on 856 8223.

Last month, a teenage gunman fired an air weapon at the Bright Sparks nursery in Bury as youngsters played outside. No-one was injured in that incident.