ONLY minutes into 2006, a father was shot with an air pistol pellet as he was clearing up fireworks in the back garden of his March home. Mark Rengert, 42, marked the start of the new year with his family by letting off fireworks from his home in Acacia G

ONLY minutes into 2006, a father was shot with an air pistol pellet as he was clearing up fireworks in the back garden of his March home.

Mark Rengert, 42, marked the start of the new year with his family by letting off fireworks from his home in Acacia Grove. He was putting rocket launchers away at 10 minutes past midnight when he felt a sharp pain in his neck.

"I knew instantly a bullet had hit me and I had been shot," he said. "Both of my hands were covered in blood and I was scared. I didn't know how badly injured I was.

"Initially, I was just in shock about what had happened."

Luckily the pellet did not lodge in his neck and Mr Rengert, a lorry driver, did not need any stitches to his wound.

Police have taken the pellet away for examination and are investigating the incident as an assault.

Mr Rengert said: "These bullets have been fired around here since the summer. I really don't think people realise just how dangerous air pistols are.

"I had to be in work at 7am on New Year's Day and when I was laying in bed that night, I couldn't sleep. All I could think about was how close it was to my eye, and my head. It could have ended up so differently. I'm just so lucky."

Police are appealing for help from the public and anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact March police on 0845 456 4564 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.