RESIDENTS said last night they are scared to walk the streets after a drive-by shooting took place in broad daylight.

Three occupants of a parked silver Ford Focus were shot at by two people on a motorbike in Stockton just after 1pm on Wednesday.

No one was hurt, but residents expressed their fears about the area, saying they were afraid to walk down the street or speak out in case of retribution.

Police are now appealing for witnesses to the incident, which happened outside the post office in Londonderry Road.

A resident said: “There was a loud bang. I didn’t take much notice because I thought it was a car backfiring, but then all the police started arriving.”

A woman, who didn’t want to be named for fear of reprisals, said: “This place is going down the pan. There are drug dealers everywhere and I am now scared to walk down the street. It is getting worse.

“But we have never had a shooting before – it is frightening.”

Others said a woman was sitting in the car and the two other occupants were returning to it from the post office when the shots were fired.

The occupants of a passing bus also witnessed the shooting and it is understood the scenes may have been captured on CCTV.

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: “Detectives believe the shots were fired by two people on a motorbike, who made off from the scene.

“Three people were in the car at the time. Fortunately, no one was harmed.

“It is too early at this time to say whether there is any link to any previous incidents.”

Police kept a cordon around the scene until about 2.30pm.

Witnesses or anyone with information are asked to contact Detective Sergeant Stu Hodgson, of Stockton Operational Crime Team, on the 101 non-emergency number, quoting event number 821114