Police were today investigating after a York schoolgirl was hit with an airgun pellet thought to have been fired by a fellow pupil.

The girl was shot in the back in the school field before classes began at Fulford School yesterday.

A male pupil in the same year was immediately sent home.

The girl is not thought to have sustained anything more than a minor skin wound.

Keith Hayton, headteacher, said: "There was an incident before school and a girl was very slightly injured.

"It was reported to the police, who are taking action."

The school was also taking action internally and a male pupil who may have been connected with the shooting had been excluded.

"This was an isolated incident," said Mr Hayton.

"There was no build-up to it at all. We've had no airguns in school beforehand. It is just one of those things, the silly action of one pupil. It is not a major incident."

A police spokesman confirmed there had been an incident at the school and said it was being investigated.

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