The mother of a 14-year-old boy who lost the sight in an eye after he was shot with a pellet gun says they were "abandoned" by police.

Rhys Thomas, of Tarragon Drive in Greater Leys, Oxford, spent two weeks in hospital after a ballbearing was lodged in his eye in September.

His mother Carol Williams has lodged a formal complaint to the police Professional Standards Department over how the case has been handled.

She told the Oxford Mail since the shooting her son had been offered no victim support, received only one visit from a police officer and was provided with no police liaison officers.

Mrs Williams also said she was forced to retrieve ballistic information from police for doctors herself in a bid to save Rhys' sight and take photos of the injuries while the investigating officer was on holiday. She added it took three weeks until he was asked to make a statement and the family had to contact police to make their own statements more than a week after the shooting.

His mum added: "It has been an absolute nightmare. Every day is difficult. He is just so angry and finds it hard to deal with. He feels let down by the police."

The complaint is being now investigated by Oxford area Commander Supt Jim Trotman.