THE landlady of a Clitheroe pub has been shot in the face with a BB gun.

Police said a teenager ran into the The Black Horse Inn and shot the owner, the ball bearing hitting her on the chin, before running away at just after 9.45pm on Monday.

The landlady of the late 18th century pub in Pimlico Road received minor injuries to her face, police said.

A 16-year-old local boy was arrested at his home before being questioned by officers at Clitheroe police station on Tuesday morning.

The youngster has been given a final warning by police for a minor assault.

Detective Constable Will BIggar of Clitheroe police said: “It was a childish prank that has gone wrong.”

Sergeant Conrad Tapp of Clitheroe police said: “The landlady called the police and told us that someone had walked into the pub and fired a BB gun at her and the ball has hit her on the chin.

“The teenager shot the gun and then ran out of the pub and was later arrested in his home.”

Imitation or BB guns are spring-loaded air guns that fire pellets and it is illegal to carry them in public.

Police say BB guns can be very harmful as if a person is hit in the eye with a pellet they could lose their sight.

Under the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 which came into force in October 2007 there is a ban on the sale of imitation guns to people aged under 18.