Doctors are battling to save a boy's sight after he was hit in the eye with a pellet fired from a ball bearing gun.

Rhys Taylor, 14, was shot on Friday night in Tarragon Drive, Greater Leys, Oxford, and the pellet is lodged behind his eye.

Surgeons are still doing tests to decide whether it will be possible to remove it without damaging his eye, which has now become infected.

Rhys' mum Carole Williams, of Tarragon Drive, told the Oxford Mail yesterday sep 18that Rhys was out in their street with some friends.

She alleged that a man was at the bedroom window of another house with a BB gun near where they were playing.

Rhys was apparently shot after a friend saw a red light shining in one of his eyes.

She claimed Rhys knew the man who fired at him.

She said: "I am just in shock, I feel numb and confused.

Ms Williams continued: "Rhys is very low at the moment.

"I've been sleeping at the hospital and been by his bedside all the time.

"He's just had a scan and the doctors are waiting for the infection to go down to see what they can do."

Police said they sent out an armed response unit to the incident on Friday night.

On Saturday, 10 officers were deployed to question and search people in the area.

But Rhys's aunt, Rachel WiIliams, of Nettlebed Mead, Greater Leys, said the police should have arrested the man allegedly involved immediately after the shooting.

She said: "Rhys was hit in the eye. He could have been killed. We just can't believe it. All his friends saw it happen."

Ms Williams claimed the alleged gunman had tried to drive away on Saturday morning and she jumped in front of the car to stop him.

She said: "It was only then that a police woman came out of the house and confiscated his bag.

"I think it's appalling. The police should have been straight in there and arrested him.

"Now he's free to roam around and Rhys is frightened about coming out of hospital and coming home, and the family have to deal with him being there."

Police spokesman James Clements said: "We called in an armed response unit on Friday night and on Saturday morning we had a unit of 10 police officers in the area questioning and stopping and searching people.

"We had a unit at the hospital with the boy's mother asking for the names and addresses of eyewitnesses.

"We arrested a man the morning after the incident but we cannot jail someone unless we have charged them.

"We are still investigating. We have a great number of witnesses who we have spoken to. I would urge anyone with any information to contact us."

To call the police dial 08458 505505, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

* A 33 year-old-man has been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm and bailed until October 21 pending further inquiries.