POLICE have stepped up patrols after a six-year-old girl was shot with an air rifle outside her Southampton home.

The quick police response to the incident comes as Demi-Lee Looker was playing near her home in Wood Close, Sholing, with two friends when she was hit in the ankle by the air rifle pellet.

Officers have carried out doorto- door enquiries and a police spokesman confirmed there have since been more officers in the area.

The Valentine Primary School pupil had to have an operation at Southampton General Hospital to remove the pellet.

The incident has left the youngster with a scar and her mother Fiona Walsh, 27, is scared to let her two children outside in the area.

Mary Lloyd, who represents the area on the city council, said: “It is a horrible thing to hear about.

The area on the whole is very safe. I am surprised that this has happened – it is very rare to have anything like this here.

“I just hope that this does not happen again and that the police get to the bottom of what happened.”

A police spokesman said: “We are still carrying out extensive enquiries to try to find out exactly how Demi-Lee got shot with an air pellet.

“We have searched the area around where we believe it happened and carried out house-tohouse enquiries.

“This is obviously a concerning incident and we are very keen to hear from anyone who thinks they witnessed it or who has any information about the incident. If they do then please get in touch with Bitterne police.”

Anyone with information can also contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.