A child has described the moment he witnessed a shooting in broad daylight outside a busy playpark in Downham.

The 10-year-old was playing with friends when the victim, a 30-year-old man, was shot twice by two men on a motorbike in Woodbank Road.

Just weeks after schools broke up for the summer, kids were hanging out in the playpark and enjoying the warm weather on Saturday afternoon when the shooting happened.

After police arrived and cordoned off a stretch of the road, the youngster ran home to tell his mum about the crime scene.

The boy told News Shopper: “I was with my friends. Me and all my friends heard the gun shots.”

He said the two men on a motorbike were trying to rob the victim when the struggle happened.

“He [one of the bikers] got his gun out of his pouch and shot him twice,” the child said.

“The two men on the motorbike were trying to rob him of his bag.”

News Shopper:

The park in Woodbank Road, Downham.

He said the two suspects got back on their motorbike and sped off, before the victim, who appeared unhurt, also drove away.

Police later located the victim who had been taken to a south London hospital suffering from gunshot wounds.

His injuries are not life-threatening, police said.

Neighbours reported hearing gunshots, but some said they were shocked to realise there had been a shooting.

Shahan Ali, 42, said he heard the gunshots whilst he was leaving for work but thought it was most likely fireworks.

He told News Shopper: “I couldn’t believe it was a gunshot.

“My wife called me and said have you heard, there’s been two gun shots?”

Mr Ali, who has lived in the area for more than 10 years, said it was the first time he had heard of a crime so close to home.

“It’s very sad you know,” he added. “I have lived here 15, 16 years.

“It’s the first time a strange thing has happened, it’s madness.”

An elderly woman, who lives in a nearby road and asked not to be named, said it was the second shooting in the area in the past year.

She was walking her dog when she came across the police cordon and the children playing in the park told her what had happened.

The 79-year-old said she thought incidents involving guns were becoming more common.

 She said: “Years ago when I was growing up you never heard about it, but the kids were taking it in their stride.

“Years ago I’d have run for my life and locked the door.”

But another pensioner, 83-year-old Peter James, said he wasn’t surprised to hear the news, having lived in Downham for 74 years.

He said: “To me the area doesn’t change at all, I have never felt unsafe here.”

“I don’t feel unsafe at all,” he added.

A spokesman for the Met Police said no arrests have been made, and officers from Trident are investigating.

Did you see what happened? Email jessica.bell@london.newsquest.co.uk