Fears for sight of girl shot in street

Aug 30 2008 by Ben Guy, The Journal

A YOUNG girl shot in the eye with a ball bearing gun has been told she may suffer permanent damage to her sight.

Eleven-year-old Chloe Laidlaw was playing outside her home in Queen Gardens, Cowpen, Blyth, when she was hit at close range with a pellet fired by the gun.

Now the youngster is facing an operation and has been told by doctors that the incident could cause clouding of her vision, because she is likely to develop cataracts.

The youngster’s eye is healing slowly and she will have to wait until it improves before she can have surgery.

Her iris has been torn, which is letting light in, and the Tynedale Middle School pupil is now confined to the sofa and needs drops and creams every day to keep her eye stable.

Mum Ashley, 35, said: “We went to the Royal Victoria Infirmary and saw the top eye specialist. He said there is a lot of damage and she will need surgery to heal the gap.

“She could have cataracts and there is damage where the eye fills with fluid. The build-up of pressure could cause retina damage.

“He said eyes have a slow healing process so we have to go back next month and it’s hard to say what is going to happen.

“I was very disappointed because I was expecting them to say that in a couple of months she will be back to normal.

“When he started talking about cataracts and a damaged retina it wasn’t what I wanted to hear.”

Chloe’s dad Paul, a dental technician, has called for a ban on ball bearing guns. The 36-year-old said: “Chloe has still not been out of the house, but she is doing OK and has dropped down from three creams a day to two.

“But when my wife told me there could be permanent damage I was so concerned. I thought everything would be OK. It’s just thinking about her future. You need your sight for everything – for driving, for working. It’s very worrying.”

After the shooting on Saturday, police spoke to an eight-year-old boy who lives nearby.

Chloe’s parents are urging parents not to let their children play with ball bearing guns.

Paul added: “These kids must just see it as a game, but these weapons are not toys and should be banned.”