POLICE have shot down a councillor’s claim that an attack on a village butchers shop window was a “drive-by shooting.”

Forest district councillor Richard Leppington claimed on Facebook that someone in a car had fired at Andy’s Butchers in Bream High Street, breaking the anti-shatter proof window, just before midnight on Thursday, July 12.

The UKIP ward member for Bream said the shop’s CCTV had captured the incident where “a hand was seen to emerge from the passenger window and fire what looked like a pistol.”

But Gloucestershire Police say Cllr Leppington has jumped the gun, saying there was no evidence of a pistol having been used, and the unfounded claim had “caused concern for the community.”

Cllr Leppington has called for the police to make CCTV footage of the incident public.

Officers suspect the attacker in the silver vehicle may have fired a stone from a catapult at the shop, which has been run by Mr James for more than 30 years.

“Police are aware of a report on Facebook stating that on Thursday last week there was a drive-by shooting at a butchery on Bream High Street,” said a force spokeswoman. “We can confirm there is no evidence to suggest this was the case.

“On Friday, July 13, police received a report that a brick had been thrown at a window of the premises by someone driving by in a silver vehicle the previous evening.

“Yesterday, a post circulated on social media that the damage was caused by a drive-by shooting. After this information was posted online, police carried out further inquiries today and have attended the shop and viewed the CCTV footage of the incident.

“We can confirm the footage does not show a hand poking out of the window holding a pistol. The CCTV does show a vehicle pull up alongside the premises and shortly after you can see damage to the window.

“However there is no evidence of any firearm being used and instead police believe the damage may have been caused by someone using a stone in

a catapult.

“We understand this news would have caused concern for the community, but please be assured that we do not believe this damage was caused by a drive-by shooting.”

Cllr Leppington posted after the incident, which happened around 11.40pm: “Bream is not a place that one would associate with a drive-by shooting. Unfortunately, this is exactly what happened on Thursday night.

“A car was driven slowly up the High Street. It then turned round and as it drove past Andy’s the Butcher a hand was seen to emerge from the passenger window and fire what looked like a pistol at Andy’s window.

“Fortunately, nobody was injured but a window was seriously damaged. Although CCTV captured the incident, it was not able to get the number plate.

“However, I am sure that somebody in the community knows who did this… next time it could be someone’s head in the way.”

His post, since removed, attracted more than 200 comments, which were initially of shock, but later turned to criticism after the

police statement.

One poster said: “Oh dear, really should check details before jumping on bandwagons,” while one called it “fake news” and another labelled Cllr Leppington an “absolute muppet.”

Cllr Leppington responded: “The details were factually correct as reported to me by the shop owner… he told me that it looked like a pistol.”

Andy James said the attack on his shop window had been exaggerated, but a high-powered device of some sort appeared to have been used to break the inch-thick shatter-proof glass.

“You can’t see any hand come out or how the window was broken on my CCTV, except a car drives past and then there’s a hole in the glass.

“It’s very disappointing to suffer this damage – I can’t think of anyone who would have a grudge against my business. I get on with everyone in the village, so I assume it’s vandalism.

“But people have been so kind, I’ve had several offers to fix the window for free.”