SURGEONS carried out emergency surgery on a Newport teenager after an air rifle pellet narrowly missed a main artery in his neck.

The 15-year-old boy, who was with a group of youths at Kemp Park, off Corporation Road, was hit by the pellet at around 6pm on Sunday.

PC Keith Crowe, the crime and disorder reduction officer for Maindee police, said: "It could have been a much more serious injury if it had hit him in the eyes or the main artery in his neck.

"There are problems with air weapons being misused in the surrounding area."

He said an emergency operation was carried out on the boy at the city's Royal Gwent Hospital after doctors realised the air gun pellet lodged in his neck was so close to a main artery.

PC Crowe said police were continuing their investigation.