YOUTHS have shot at a nine-year-old girl with a toy pistol, leaving her "severely shaken".Suffolk police today launched an appeal for witnesses to incident after the girl from the Bacton area was targeted as she walked along The Street, Bacton, near Stowmarket around 7.

By James Fraser

YOUTHS have shot at a nine-year-old girl with a toy pistol, leaving her "severely shaken".

Suffolk police today launched an appeal for witnesses to an incident after the girl from the Bacton area was targeted as she walked along The Street, Bacton, near Stowmarket around 7.50pm Monday.

Three shots were fired from a passing vehicle, striking her on the arm and leaving what police describe as "a raised mark".

The vehicle is described as a small black hatchback, possibly a Ford Fiesta, and in it were two young males.

The passenger is described as white, in his late teens or early twenties, had shaven brown hair and wearing a white t-shirt.

Pc Lee Norfolk, of Suffolk police, said: "Although the girl was not seriously injured she was left severely shaken by the incident. We are treating this as a criminal offence."

Anyone with any information relating to the incident should contact 01284 774100 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.