A 20-YEAR-OLD woman needed hospital treatment after reportedly being shot at with an air rifle as she walked her dog.

The incident happened on Monday (February 18) afternoon, as the woman walked her dog in Epsom Court, Darlington.

She was walking towards McColl’s newsagents and needed treatment to have the pellet removed at Darlington Memorial Hospital.

She was left with five stitches.

Anyone with information is asked to call Darlington police on the non-emergency number, 101.