A WOMAN was due to undergo surgery in York today after a gunman left a pellet lodged deep inside her arm.

In other shooting incidents in the Micklegate area of the city, a man suffered a chest injury after being hit by a pellet, while a second man escaped a back injury when he was targeted. A pellet bounced harmlessly off his rucksack.

All the incidents happened in the city centre, sparking a police operation in which both armed and unarmed police raided a house in Micklegate at about 10.30 last night.

They seized a number of items, which were taken away for examination.

The injured woman, from Strensall, reported being hit at about 1.30am yesterday. She was expected to have an operation to remove the pellet at York Hospital today.

Later yesterday, the first man reported being shot in the chest with an air rifle as he walked along Micklegate at about 3pm.

Police said he suffered "reddening to his chest," but was not seriously injured.

The second man contacted police to say he had been shot at with an airgun while in St Martin's Lane, off Micklegate, at about noon yesterday.

"The rucksack he was carrying was struck by an airgun pellet. He was not injured," said Sergeant John Suchomski.

"The police believe the unlawful use of firearms or replica firearms is a serious offence.

"While replica firearms are easily obtained, persons responsible for committing threatening acts or causing injury with such articles will be dealt with firmly by the police and may be brought before a court."

Updated: 10:54 Monday, March 17, 2003