A large Police response – including armed officers – descended on a rural spot in Whitwell this morning (Saturday) after shots were heard.
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary were called at approximately 11:20 to a report of shots heard hitting trees on land off of Southford Lane in Whitwell.
Officers immediately attended the scene, including those from our Armed Response Vehicle units.
Those responsible for the shots heard, who were subsequently confirmed as licenced firearm holders, were quickly located and spoken to.
It was confirmed that air rifles had been fired on private land with the landowner’s permission.
All was in order and officers swiftly stood down from the scene.
Do those people who live and travel through the countryside. People use firearms for pest control and ‘sport’. It’s not the bronx!
Air rifles? Bloody heck . Why not call the Raf and do a bombing run or maybe the navy..heck might as well just nuke the place. Who every reported air rifles as gun fires needs to pay the massive bill.
I had two men go onto the field next to my house, without the land owners permission and hid in the hedge shooting birds last year. The only thing was the birdshot they were using was actually hitting my house and roof, as well as me and my mother in the garden. I called 999 because hey, two blokes are literally recklessly shooting shotguns in our direction and hitting us and my property and the 999 call handler asked “what’s a birdshot? Can you not just walk up the field and ask them to stop?” Interesting how they’ll send a full armed response for the sound of gunshots but when those gunshots are known and hitting people and property, they don’t care… Nice one hampshire constabulary. Real nice.
I had two men go onto the field next to my house, without the land owners permission and hid in the hedge shooting birds last year. The only thing was the birdshot they were using was actually hitting my house and roof, as well as me and my mother in the garden. I called 999 because hey, two blokes are literally recklessly shooting shotguns in our direction and hitting us and my property and the 999 call handler asked “what’s a birdshot? Can you not just walk up the field and ask them to stop?” Interesting how they’ll send a full armed response for the sound of gunshots but when those gunshots are known and hitting people and property, they don’t care… Nice one hampshire constabulary.
In my day, I’d have had to attend that on my own, armed with a truncheon.
Maybe people should mind their own business
Maybe getting peppered with birdshot makes it their business.
When I reported semi-automatic gunfire after a late night party near us a year or so back, police couldn’t care less.
I expect the pigeons were grateful
Too many numpties are allowed to own weapons.
Weapons should be for Military and Police persons only.
Imagine what it would be like if everything owned weapons
the island would be like the Wild West – Yeehaw!