The father of a 13-year-old boy shot in the head with an air rifle as he made his way home from school is appealing for witnesses to come forward.

Sam Sealey was left with a pellet in his skull after the incident in Dagenham Road, Rainham on June 26 at 3.30pm.

Sam’s dad, Tony Sealey said: “The people that did this are just the lowest of the low.

“They must have a warped sense of humour if they think that doing something like this to a child is funny.”

Sam was on his way home from Brittons Academy in Ford Lane, Rainham with two of his friends when he was shot in the head and fell to the ground.

His friends thought that he was hit by a stone but were later told by the paramedics that a pellet was lodged in his skull.

Tony, from Dagenham says that he got a call from his wife when he was on his way home from work telling him that Sam was in the hospital.

He said: “It was just the worse case scenario, I was not expecting to hear that my son had been shot with an air rifle.

“I have two other grown up children and I was always in casualty with them with they were growing up, but it was the first time I had ever been called to the hopsital for Sam and my first thought was that it was a school accident.”

Sam was taken to Queen’s Hospital in Rom Valley Way, Romford where he had to undergo emergency surgery.

He was forced to take one week off of school to recover.

Tony said: “Sam is really bubbly, he loves football and he is really enjoying his time at school.

“He is still the same now, but he is a little bit weary.

“He always enjoyed walking home with his friends in the summer, but now he will get the bus or ask if I can pick him up.”

Police also want to speak to the driver of a blue car which was seen driving past after the incident.

Tony said: “Nothing really surprises me these days.

“But I never expected something like this to happen to my child, the people who did this are just low lives.”

Anyone with information should call DC Broom at Romford CID on 101.