A MAN accidentally shot himself at a viewing day hosted by a Worcester auctioneers.
Housewife Judith Little raised the alarm after hearing the victim say: '"Please help me, I've shot the end of my finger off."
A doctor who was there at the time came to his aid before the injured man was taken to Worcester's Ronskwood Hospital.
Around a dozen people were in the room at St Marks House, St Marks Close, Cherry Orchard, when a "loud bang" echoed around the building yesterday.
Mrs Little was in an adjoining room at the viewing, hosted by Andrew Grant Fine Art Auctioneers.
"The man was moaning because he was so shocked and he looked deathly white," said the 49-year-old.
"I shouted to the attendant at the end of the room to ring an ambulance.
"A man in the same room said he was a doctor and wrapped his hand in what looked like a tablecloth. He asked for a drink of water but the doctor said he couldn't have one because he didn't' know what would happen."
Mrs Little, of Palmers Green, St John's, said she had seen the guns on top of a glass cabinet by the door just before the incident.
"I only glanced at them and thought they were replicas," she said.
"I think they were pistol-sized guns and there was nobody supervising them at all.
"If it had been a Saturday there could have been children there who could have picked up the guns."
People were asked to leave the viewing day after the incident.
Hereford & Worcester Ambulance Service confirmed it received a call at 11.47am and took the middle-aged victim, who is from Kidderminster, to hospital.
"It was an accidental discharge as far as we're aware," said Insp Robert Guinivan, of West Mercia Police.
A spokeswoman for Worcester police confirmed they attended the scene but said she was unable to comment on the type of gun involved.
Adrian Mackwell, manager of Andrew Grant Fine Art Auctioneers, which has offices throughout the county, said: "I have got no comment at all to make."
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