THIS shocking picture reveals how close 21-year-old Zoe McGovern came to losing her life. It shows how an airgun pellet - fired from just 150 yards - missed a vital artery in Zoe's neck.

But the most frightening thing is that the sniper is still at large.

Zoe was walking with friends along a shingle beach behind the Tickled Trout Hotel, on the banks of the River Ribble, when she was shot.

The stinging wound immediately began to bleed and Zoe's friends rushed her to the Royal Preston Hospital, where doctors found an air pellet lodged in her neck.

The pellet was so deeply embedded that they could not remove it and Zoe was given several stitches.

Zoe, of Birkett Road, said: "I didn't realise what had happened at first. But I couldn't believe I had been shot.

"It was very painful and frightening but, thankfully, I am recovering now.

"If this was a deliberate act, I would appeal to anyone who knows about it to come forward."

PC Greg Sloan, of Bamber Bridge Police, said: "This woman had a very lucky escape. She could have been killed.

"We think the weapon was fired from across the river about 150 yards away. No-one was seen and it is likely the gunman off through the woods on the footpath towards Ribbleton."

PC Sloan has not ruled out the possibility that the shooting, which took place at around 3.40pm on Wednesday, May 20, could have been an accident and appealed to the person responsible to come forward.

Anyone with information should contact the police on 209730 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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