TEENAGERS have been using air rifles to shoot at people and vehicles on a busy main road.

Police were called to Leeds Road, Nelson, after a Transdev bus driver said his vehicle had been shot at while driving towards Colne, making him swerve out of the way.

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Five days earlier two teenagers needed first aid treatment after being struck by air rifle pellets near the same spot.

The incidents are the latest in a string of anti-social behaviour problems in the Leeds Road area to be reported to police in the past month, leading to calls for more police patrols.

Cllr Joe Cooney, leader of Pendle Council, said: “It’s highly irresponsible of these people to be messing around with air rifles.

“The police have been working in that area but they can’t predict that these young people are going to turn up. It’s down to the parents to keep them under control and not let them near air rifles.”

Residents said the problems were being caused by a gang hanging around The Zone.

The same teenagers were also causing a nuisance to children visiting the nightly youth sessions at the venue.

The most recent incident at 8.10pm on Tuesday involved shots being fired at the bus and police are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

On Friday, officers were also called to The Zone at 8.15pm after staff said two members had been struck by pellets.

Later the same evening eggs and stones were thrown at a single decker bus on the road, smashing the glass in a door.

Kathy Ashworth, Lancashire County Council’s early help and wellbeing manager, said: “Two young people came into Nelson Youth Zone last Friday having been hit by air rifle pellets.

“Our staff gave them first aid and looked after them in the centre for the rest of the evening to ensure they were safe.

“We are working closely with the police to help them with their investigations.”

Tony Wiggin, Transdev service delivery manager, said the firm had reported the attacks to the police.

He said: “Anti-social behaviour of this kind is wholly unacceptable and this is one of the reasons that our buses have CCTV on board.

“We work closely with the police on matters such as this and where culprits can be identified, we would always aim for prosecution.

“In addition to the actual damage, there is also a cost in delays and inconvenience to passengers.”

A police spokesman said: “There has been a problem with anti-social behaviour in the Leeds Road area of Nelson for the past month or so.

“On Tuesday evening we attended the area after a call came in saying that a vehicle had been shot by either a air rifle or a catapult which caused the driver to swerve across the road.

“We looked around the area but were not able to find any signs of the gang or shooting.

“On Friday we received a call at around 8.15pm from The Zone saying that there was a gang which had been hanging out near the centre and causing a nuisance.

“They believed that two children had been shot at by what they believed to be BB guns.

“Then at around 9.30pm we had a call from Transdev saying that eggs and stones had been thrown at a Volvo single decker red bus as it passed through Nelson at around 9pm.

“A glass door has been smashed, causing around £200 of damage.”