DETECTIVES are hunting a boy who pointed a gun at a woman's head in Bolton town centre.

The boy, pointed the gun at the 25-year-old girl's head, and asked her: "Do you want to buy it?"

The boy and two other teenagers then ran away laughing.

Detectives investigating the incident say the girl was not robbed but was "deeply" shocked by the incident.

Officers do not know whether the handgun was real or a realistic replica. They are urging the boy to contact the police.

The boy pointed the gun at the woman outside Trinity Street railway station at 4.55pm on Saturday. Shoppers had earlier reported seeing a youth, apparently openly brandishing a handgun, in Newport Street, on the outskirts of the town centre.

Det Chief Insp John Tyrer of Bolton CID said: "We are treating this incident quite seriously. No one was injured but incidents like this can have very serious consequences.

"If the boy concerned thought it as just a bit of fun I would urge him to contact us now - before we contact him."

Detectives say the boy is aged about 14-16, 5ft 4ins tall, medium build with brown short straight hair. He was wearing an orange coloured thigh length coat with draw strings and dark trousers. The other boys are slightly older. One had blond streaks in his hair.

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