By James Williamson

A PRIMARY seven pupil has been excluded from Barnhill Primary School in Dundee following an incident involving a cheap toy pellet gun.

The boy was sent home after he brought the toy gun into school yesterday morning.

It is understood that two fellow pupils—a boy and a girl—were struck by projectiles fired from the gun in the school’s playground. One of the children was said to have been struck in the neck and the other on the hand.

One concerned parent, who did not wish to be named, told The Courier last night, “I’m told that the gun was pointed— but not fired—at my child and so obviously I’m annoyed, frustrated and concerned.

“The school are trying to play this down. They don’t see it as a gun—they see it a small toy they’re selling in local shops.

“But as far as I’m concerned, it’s a gun being taken into school and I don’t think that’s acceptable.

“It can project items—these small yellow capsules—and if they hit you they leave the skin swollen.

“If it had caught anyone in the eye it could have blinded them. That fact seems to have escaped some people.”

Police inquiries into the incident will continue this morning, with staff and pupils at the school being questioned about it.

A police spokesman for said, “I can confirm that the matter had been reported to us and inquiries are at an early stage.

“Officers will be taking possession of a toy pellet gun.”

A spokesman for Dundee City Council education department said, “A pupil was excluded following an incident this morning. Tayside Police have been informed.”

Mr Naeem Zaveri, the owner of Zaveri’s Newsagents, on Abercromby Street, who sold the toy gun, said he was now seriously considering taking the item off the shelves.

He said, “I’ve been selling it for a long time and have never had any problems before.

“I don’t think I want to sell them any more once this batch runs out.”

Last year, Tayside Police warned parents against buying toy guns, BB or pellet guns for their children, amid concerns that their misuse could spark a tragedy.

At the time, Sergeant Malcolm Harvey stressed that he “did not consider these things to be toys.”

“They have the very real potential to cause injury if fired at somebody at close range,” he said.

“However, I am aware that plastic replica handguns and BB guns are widely available and, as such, I will be deploying officers to visit shops that sell these guns to ask staff to take a responsible attitude.

“If your child does have such a gun, please take it from them before they do something that could result in a terrible tragedy.”