A police chief today urged parents to throw out their children's toy pellet guns after a series of shootings.

And Detective Inspector Trevor Gasson warned that youngsters seen brandishing the replica weapons in the street risk being surrounded by armed police officers.

A two-year-old girl was hit in the face with a pellet, believed to have been fired from a replica weapon, in Caledonia Road, Lawkholme, Keighley.

Mazie Taylor was shot as she was pushed in the pram by her 12-year-old sister Skye. She is now recovering at her home in Neville Street, Keighley.

Her pregnant mum Tina, 35, who has six other children, said her daughter was taken to Airedale General Hospital at Eastburn and then on to Bradford Royal Infirmary where the pellet was removed.

"I was very worried because at first all I knew was that she had been shot," she said, "We don't let her move from outside the front of the house now. It's frightening."

Her father Robert said: "She was in a state of shock at first and crying. I am angry someone could do this to a toddler."

A 12-year-old boy has been questioned about the incident and released on bail while detectives make further inquiries.

Today Det Insp Gasson urged parents to ensure their children do not take the replica guns out of doors.

He said: "Although they are sold as toy guns and fire what appear to be plastic bullets, they can cause injury. From a distance they look realistic. Children are going to end up with armed officers pointing real guns down their necks.

"We'd like to appeal to parents either not to buy the guns, or to throw them out.

"These weapons are not being used by small children playing games. These weapons can easily be mistaken for a real firearm."

Parents in the Lawkholme area said they fear for their children's safety and claim there have been several attacks.

June Collinson, of Eric Street, herself a victim, revealed a small pellet-size bruise on her upper right arm where she was hit a week ago.

"I was sitting on the wall when I felt something hit me," she said, "It was very painful. It was not a plastic bullet but a metal pellet. My 15 year-old daughter was hit by a plastic bullet so I'm very worried."

One of the places where the guns are sold is Scooby Bargain Centre in Cavendish Street, Keighley. Manager Craig Illingworth said there was no law against them being sold but staff refused to sell them to very young children. There were about four different models ranging in price from about £3 to £10 and they looked "pretty realistic." They fired a 6mm plastic pellet.

* A 16 year-old boy is due to appear at Bradford Youth Court accused of possessing a weapon with intent to cause fear in connection with an alleged incident involving a toy gun in Dalton Lane, Keighley.