AN air gun shooting mystery has been cleared up after the best friend of the victim admitted yesterday to pulling the trigger.

Brendan Holland, 12, originally claimed an unknown sniper fired at him from a house while he was walking down the street.

The pellet lodged itself deep in the boy's skull, narrowly missing his left eye and had to be removed by surgeons.

Police investigated the shooting incident, but came up with no culprits, until Brendan's best friend, from Derwent Street, Hartlepool, went to the town's central police station with his parents to own up to the accident.

The friend and Brendan, of nearby York Road, were playing around with an air gun, when it went off, hitting him.

The accident happened in the unnamed boy's home last Bank Holiday Monday and he admitted to concocting a story, with Brendan, to explain the shooting.

Acting Detective Superintendent Steve Bakewell, of Hartlepool police, said: "The boys were messing around with an airgun when it accidentally went off and Brendan was hit in the head.

"We're treating this as a prank that went badly wrong, although the consequences could have been a lot worse.

"Both lads were extremely shocked and dealt with that in the way they did. The case is now closed and there will be no further action."

Brendan was operated on successfully at Middlesbrough General Hospital, on Wednesday, after the pellet went deeper than originally thought. He is now said to be well and recovering.