A HAVE-A-GO hero has described the moment she went to the aid of a screaming woman who had been shot in the shoulder.

Shauna Woods, 23, lives in a flat, in Clacton, which backs on to garages and a small car park.

On Sunday evening, shortly after 6pm, Miss Woods says she heard a series of screams coming from behind her home.

After looking out of her window, she saw a young woman running barefoot away from a man who she believes was carrying a type of firearm.

Brave Miss Woods jumped into action, instinctively running outside to help the distressed woman.

“I just sprinted towards the man and started shouting at him,” she said.

“The woman was shot in the shoulder with like an air rifle and then the man started running towards us.

“I put my body around her like a shield and got her into my garden.

“We hid in my house before the man finally drove off.”

After the shocking ordeal, the woman’s family, including her mother and brothers, turned up at the scene.

As dangerous at the situation was, Miss Woods says she had no choice but to go to the woman’s aid.

She added: “This woman was in an absolute state and she was really shaken up.

“I didn’t even think about it when I did it and I wasn’t scared.

“I just went out there because I knew I had to do something, and I am proud of that.”

Essex Police also attended the scene before officers conducted a search.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “We were called with reports a man had threatened a woman with what appeared to be a gun in Woodlands Close.

“Officers attended and found the woman, who had been shot with what is believed to be an air rifle. She suffered a minor injury to her shoulder.

“A man had left the scene in a car and officers carried out a search for him.

“A car was stopped in Tuffnell Way, Colchester, and a 22-year-old man, from Clacton, was arrested on suspicion of assault. He remains in custody for questioning.”

Anyone with information should call 101 quoting 42/112148/20.