TWO young people were injured after an 18-year-old man opened fire into the tent in which they were cowering with a BB gun, a court heard.

Arron Richardson, of Gardiner Road in Larkhill, was camping with friends near the Strangways on April 25 when he is alleged to have shot at Matthew Purves, 19, and a 17-year-old girl.

He appeared at Salisbury Crown Court on Monday charged with possessing an imitation firearm and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Christopher Smyth, prosecuting, said Mr Purves was left with 21 wounds from the incident, which happened when he and the girl went into a zipped compartment of the tent to talk.

He said the group had been drinking at the campsite for some time when Richardson, alleged to have been wearing camouflaged body armour and a hat, started to make a nuisance of himself; shooting at trees with the replica SA80 assault rifle.

When the pair went into the tent, Mr Purves said he heard Richardson say “I will get them out the tent, watch this.

“That is the point when he ripped the zip up and started firing,” said Mr Purves, who gave evidence by video link. “I remember repeatedly saying ‘please Arron, please stop’.”

Mr Purves burnt a hole in the tent and ripped it to allow him and the girl to escape. He then ran off into the woods, followed by Richardson, who continued to fire at him.

He eventually knocked on the door of a nearby house and called the police.

The case continues.