Boy of 8 finds shotgun as he plays outside

A BOY of eight found a shotgun as he played on waste ground.

Police were called at around 6pm on Sunday after the child reported the find in Bootle, Merseyside, to an adult.

Chief Inspector Steve Rice said whoever left the gun in a residential area where children play was reckless.

He added: ‘This is a truly shocking incident. For a child to find a gun on waste ground is beyond anything we would expect on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

‘Luckily this gun was not loaded. I dread to think what could have happened to the innocent young boy who found it.’ Police were carrying out house-to-house inquiries as part of their investigation.