Cyclist hit in 'drive-by' shooting

Police in Reading are looking for thugs who fired at a cyclist with an air rifle.

The 22-year-old man from Three Mile Cross was hit by an air rifle pellet on Wednesday as he was cycling along Romsey Road in Tilehurst near its junction with Oxford Road.

The victim said the shot felt like a punch in his back and that the pellet penetrated three layers of his backpack.

A silver Ford Fiesta which was driving along Ringwood Road to his left turned around straight after the shot was fired and made off along Romsey Road, heading away from Oxford Road.

PC Mark Giles, from Reading police station, said: "Fortunately the victim was not injured, but nevertheless this is still a very serious matter. This happened at a busy time of the day and there would have been quite a few witnesses in the area."