ARMED police sealed off a former pit village yesterday after a policeman was shot in the face with an air rifle.

PC Lee Jackson was driving a patrol car through Dipton, near Stanley, County Durham, at 11.10am, when he was hit by the pellet.

PC Jackson, 32, who is based at Stanley police station, was on routine patrol with another officer.

As the car travelled along St John's Terrace, the gunman fired from the window of a house. The pellet came through PC Jackson's open window and hit the right side of his face, becoming lodged in his jaw.

Paramedics took him by ambulance to Durham's University Hospital. Police said PC Jackson, who joined the force in 2000, was in some pain, but his condition was comfortable. He was being treated last night by a plastic surgeon.

Acting Superintendent Dave Hogg said PC Jackson could easily have been more seriously hurt.

He said: "While PC Jackson suffered a very nasty injury to his face, the pellet could have gone anywhere as it struck what was obviously a moving target.

"The dangers of people misusing high-powered air weapons have been well publicised, and this incident shows once again how potentially lethal such devices can be."

A constable based in nearby Consett arrested a 22-year-old Dipton man on suspicion of assault and possession of an air weapon with intent to endanger life.

Last night he was being questioned at Consett police station.

Because it was reported as a firearms incident, the Armed Response Unit was called and the street was sealed off.

An air rifle was recovered from a house in St John's Terrace shortly after.