A 33 YEAR-OLD Melksham shop assistant was shot in the back with a ball-bearing gun as youths ran amok in the town centre.

Carol Richardson was helping out at the Farmhouse Cafe in High Street on Monday lunchtime, December 10, when a man shot her in the back with a replica Gloch 10mm ball-bearing gun.

The gun-toting teenager then ran into the streets with two friends and shot at a bus, which had stopped at traffic lights, smashing the driver's window and terrifying shoppers.

Running past the Kings Arms, the teenagers were then spotted firing at cars in Strattons Walk and Pembroke Road.

Tracey Prentice, 29, manageress of the Farmhouse Caf, said the caf was packed with customers when the incident happened at around 1pm.

She said: "I didn't see Carol get hit as it was so busy but the one who shot her was stood by the fruit machines. They were being rowdy.

"People in the caf saw them with the gun. It looked very real. We were all quite frightened.

"Carol was only helping out as she is an ex-employee. She had lots of bruising and was in pain."

The gun attack, which lasted 20 minutes, then spilled into the streets when the teenager shot at a First Group bus as it stopped at traffic lights outside The Parson's Nose pub.

Sgt Alan Strike, of Melksham police said the driver's window was smashed but no-one was injured.

He said: "The gun looks so much like a real gun the firearms units could have been called and the situation could have been aggravated.

"These guns should not be taken out on to the streets because they could be mistaken for a real gun. People in the town were scared."

Two Melksham teenagers were arrested in connection with the incident.

One was released without charge but an 18-year-old man has been released on bail until January 3 for further police enquiries to take place.