A young girl was left in a 'puddle of blood' after being shot in the head with a BB gun as she played on a trampoline.
Lilly, 10, screamed in agony as blood started 'gushing' from a 'gaping hole' in her head after the bullet smashed into her scalp.
Her father Ashley Parkes heard her cries and sprinted into the back garden of their home in Gosport, Hants.
He discovered her clutching her head with blood pouring out over her hands while four thugs ran away into a neighbouring field.
Lilly was rushed to Gosport War Memorial Hospital to stitch up her wound and has been left 'traumatised' by the incident.
Mr Parkes, 32, is now appealing for any witnesses to the incident, which happened around 10am on Monday.
He said: "Lilly heard a loud pop and felt an impact to the back of her head. I heard her screaming and ran into the garden where there was a puddle of blood. She had a gaping hole in her head.
"I saw four teenagers running across the field. They obviously saw her head popping up and down on the trampoline and have taken a lucky shot.
"Luckily she was not facing out to the field otherwise she could have been hit in the eye.
"My daughter had a lucky escape. I don't want to think what could have happened.
"My wife and I are horrified that people would shoot someone, especially a child.
"If they are willing to put a bullet in a child's head then I can't imagine what they would do to animals or other people.
"She is still traumatised and has not stepped near the back door since it happened. She needed a bandage around the head where she had stitches.
"The hole was the size of a fingernail with blood gushing out and all over her hands."
Police are investigating the incident.
