A schoolboy who was shot in the head with an airgun while he and his friends were playing war games may have been lying injured for some time before an ambulance was called, it has been revealed.

Richard Bryant, 13, of Tudor Green, Jaywick, left home around 2pm on Monday. He went to open ground at the back of Park Square West, Jaywick, with four other youngsters.

Some of them, including Richard, were wearing army-style clothing and they had two air rifles and a hand gun which fired blanks as they played war games.

At some stage the teenager was shot in the head with the pellet travelling from one side of his skull to the other other where it is still lodged.

Richard was today fighting for his life in the intensive care unit at Addenbrooke's Hopsital in Cambridgeshire. His condition was today said to be stable. He is on a life support machine and breathing with a ventilator.

A 14-year-old boy arrested in connection with the incident has been released on police bail.

He and another youth had been helping police. Two others were due to be interviewed yesterday afternoon. Police investigating the tragic incident are still trying to build up a complete picture of what happened.

However, Det Chief Insp Kevin Macey, who is heading the inquiry, confirmed Richard collapsed at the scene at around 4pm, although he did not arrive at Colchester General Hospital by ambulance until 7.40pm.

"It is difficult to be exact about the timings as the boys are all in a state of shock," he said.

"They are in various states of distress but it appears it was somewhere around 4pm when Richard collapsed."

Mr Macey said it had been established that attempts to give Richard first aid at the scene were made by one or more of those involved. An ambulance was eventually called by the mother of one of the boys.

Mr Macey added: "As a parent myself this incident has horrified me. The parents have been spoken to at length and all of them have expressed concern about the use of these air weapons.

"They were not in a position of knowledge about them."

He said they were neither aware of what the boys were up to or the fact they had the guns.

The incident happened on old marshland belonging to Anglian Water where it has a treatment works. It is private land and the boys did not have permission to be there.

The three guns which were recovered are being examined by experts. Richard had been due back at school yesterday for the first day of the new term.

Nick Pavitt, headteacher at Colbayns High, said staff and pupils were shocked and saddened after hearing of the incident.

"Our thoughts and prayers are very much with Richard and his family at this time. Colbayns High School is a very close-knit community and we have contacted Richard's mother to offer our fullest possible support.

"She has asked that the school makes no further comment at this time and we are respecting her wishes."

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