F-type Jaguar abandoned after Gainford drive-by shooting 'murder bid'

The soft-top red F-type cabriolet is believed to have been used in a drive-by shooting in Gainford, which left a man in a critical condition, on Saturday (August 29) night.

He suffered birdshot injuries to his abdomen after a home on Balmer Hill was shot at from a car.

(Image: STUART BOULTON)

A neighbour yesterday told the Echo they heard two "pops" before seeing "a red soft-top car just go down the road."

Detectives are trying to piece together the movements of the Jaguar, believed to have been displaying reg MM13 KCC or similar, before being found abandoned in Witton Park about 50 minutes after the shooting.

It was seen around Crook, Willington, Bishop Auckland, Newton Aycliffe and Gainford, throughout Sunday afternoon, Durham Police said.

Police want to trace the movement of a red convertible Jaguar. (Image: DURHAM POLICE)

Police are asking anyone who saw the red Jaguar to to call 101 quoting incident reference 479 of August 29.

Two people, a man aged 20 and a 16-year-old boy, were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after the shooting and remain in custody. The teenager was also arrested on suspicion of theft, failing to stop and driving without a licence.

The 46-year-old victim remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital. No-one else at the address was injured.

Neighbours previously described seeing armed officers arrive with rifles as the street became "lit up" with blue lights.

(Image: STUART BOULTON)

Police officers were seen at the cordon surrounding the house on Sunday (August 30) and CSI teams in white overalls were working inside and outside the home, filling large brown evidence bags.

Pictures show holes in the door where shots were fired, with the front window smashed through and shards of glass strewn across the ground on the driveway.

On Monday morning the cordon had been lifted with police having left the scene, and the window boarded up.

(Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

One resident told the Echo: "I was just sat watching the TV. They were talking about Newcastle on Sky Sports News, then we heard like a pop.

"At first I thought it was a car backfiring. We jumped.

"And then there was another pop, and it was a case of 'What the heck was that?'

"Then the next thing we saw was a red soft-top car just go down the road.

"After the pops, I looked along and we saw all the glass outside, and the front windows were gone.

"It is something you expect to see in movies or on television programmes.

(Image: STUART BOULTON)

"You don't expect to see it in a little village, in your own of street.

"Especially what's going on in Middlesbrough at the moment, you think 'what is it?'. I know my anxiety levels have gone up.

"Everybody's on tenterhooks, but the police have been brilliant and it does give you reasurance to see them all here."

Police previously said: "An investigation has been launched after a man was shot in Gainford last night.

"Emergency services were called to an address in Balmer Hill just after 8.10pm following reports that suspects had driven to a house and fired at it from their car before making off.

"A 46-year-old man suffered birdshot injuries to his abdomen and was taken to hospital. His condition has been described as critical but stable."

Anyone with information is asked to call Durham Police on 101, quoting incident reference 479 of August 29.