A TEENAGER who shot a 12-year-old girl in the head from close range with a pellet gun has been ordered to behave.

The youngster, who cannot be named for legal reasons, aimed the plastic weapon at Samantha Gibbons, hitting her just above the eye with a plastic pellet.

At Hyndburn Youth Court the 15-year-old boy who fired the shot admitted common assault and a further charge of criminal damage after breaking a window at Samantha's home.

The incident occurred last December in Windermere Avenue, near where she lives in Huncoat.

He was ordered to complete an action plan order for three months, which means that he must co-operate with the youth offending team in meetings to tackle his offending behaviour.

Samantha, who is now 13, was left with swelling but did not require hospital treatment.

Scott Ainge, prosecuting, said Samantha was walking home from a youth club in Within Grove with a group of friends when she was approached by the 15-year-old.

He said that Samantha saw the defendant running towards her and shouting before she was shot from less that 10 yards away.

After the offence Samantha said: "I didn't think at any point that I would be shot but then I felt the pellet hit me.

"It really hurt and I didn't know it was just a plastic gun. I thought there was going to be a lot of blood."

Alan Wilson, defending, said his client had not deliberately attacked the girl but had been aiming at targets. He did admit that the youngster had shot "in the general direction" of the group of girls.

Mr Wilson said: "He realises that what he did was stupid and has caused her a considerable amount of upset."

Addressing the youngster magistrate Edward Barrow said: "This was an unprovoked assault and you did it deliberately.

"You have apologised to the court, which is something, but there is nothing we have heard about you that provides any mitigation. I think there is a risk of you offending again."