Wounded boy faces op after gang raid

A teenage boy injured when armed raiders struck at two homes in Shropshire could require corrective surgery, detectives have revealed.

The victim, who has not been named, suffered a slash to the hand when a gang forced their way in to the properties in the hamlet of Wollerton, near Market Drayton. Police say they are treating the incident as robbery.

Another victim, a woman, required stitches to her head following Thursday's raids, police said.

The gang, armed with a machete and a baseball bat, forced their way into the homes at about 9am and attacked three people before fleeing with stolen items in a Land Rover Discovery taken from one of the homes. Residents said one victim was heavily pregnant.

Police said one of the women targeted was tied up by her attackers as they ransacked her home.

Detective Inspector Pete Brophy, of West Mercia Police, today said some of the victims' injuries were more serious than first thought.

He said: "A teenage boy has received quite a deep laceration to the point which could require corrective surgery. One of the adult females has received a head injury which was going to require some stitching with a wound to the forehead.

"Apart from that the women appear to be safe and well." He added: "Both households are still assisting us with as much detail as possible. Police are treating it as robbery."

The attackers stole laptops and mobile phones before fleeing in the black Discovery, which was found abandoned on the outskirts of the village.

Detectives said witnesses spotted a silver saloon car in the village on Thursday from about 6am. They believe it was driven on to the A53 towards Tern Hill, may have contained three men and co- uld have been driven erratically. Information to Shrewsbury CID on 101.

By Tom Johannsen