Car valet shot in head by yobs outside Skelmersdale Vauxhall dealership

Nov 29 2012 by Rob Pattinson, Skelmersdale Advertiser

A CAR valet was shot in the head with a pellet gun by two yobs outside the dealership where he works.

Chris Wellington was cleaning a car outside the Vauxhall 06 site at 11.50am on Inchfield last Wednesday when he heard voices behind him.

The next thing he knew two youths began shooting at him through a fence with a pellet gun, one of which struck him in the head. The shocked valet told the Advertiser how he feared being blinded in the shocking attack – and told of his upset he was that it took police officers five hours to attend the site after he reported the incident.

The 36-year-old said: “It was around midday, I’d seen these two lads walk past and next thing heard these pings on the fence.

“It was only when they hit the door of the car I realised someone was shooting at me. As I turned one got me in the back of the head.

“It was at my eye-level and could’ve blinded me.”

Chris and a colleague drove after the pair when they fled, and caught up with them on nearby Inglewhite.

They asked the pair to empty their pockets and took the gun, which was blue with a black silencer, off them, but had to let them go as they were becoming aggressive. When Chris got back to the dealership minutes later he phoned the police but spoke of his disappointment at their response.

He said: “I thought they would have been out quicker. I don’t come to work to get shot at. When they eventually turned up at 5pm they seemed more bothered about if I had hit the lads, which I hadn’t. It could’ve been a lot worse, these lads had no qualms about letting off 25 shots at me. I was quite shaken up by it.”

A spokesman for Lancashire police said: “We take all calls seriously, and although we aim to get officers to each incident as soon as possible, in this case there was no immediate danger as the offenders had left the scene. A patrol was dispatched as soon as one became available and officers spoke to the man. The weapon has been seized and booked in for forensic examination. We would appeal to anyone who was in the area and who witnessed what happened or if anyone has information to come forward and contact the police. We are keeping the victim updated as to the progress of the investigation.”