A woman has lost the sight in one eye after she was shot by an intruder.

Sue Smith has returned home to Chesham Drive, Laindon, after she underwent surgery to the flesh around her left eye following the airgun attack by a stranger.

Mrs Smith, who was attacked as she got out of the shower, on July 29, still has pieces of the shattered pellet inside her eye.

Her neighbour Hannah White, 19, who helped her in the aftermath, said she will eventually receive surgery to remove the fragments once the swelling has gone down.

She said: “She has lost her sight in it. The pellet is still in the flesh in the corner. They are not sure if they are going to remove it yet, because the stitching needs to heal, but eventually they will.

“They think her eye will be saved.

“It looks like it is healing really well. She hasn’t got any dressing on it. She is just wearing sunglasses at the moment as she can’t open her eye.

“She brought flowers over to me yesterday, which was really sweet.”

Following the attack, Mrs Smith, 55, was airlifted to St George’s Hospital in Tooting, where she underwent surgery.

She has also visited specialists at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London.

The gunman, who is still at large, is of Eastern European appearance, between 5ft 5ins and 5ft 6ins tall, of slim build with short dark brown hair.

He was wearing a dark blue Tshirt and dark trousers or jeans.

Miss White, who is studying equine management at Writtle College, said residents in the street have all been affected by the attack.

She added: “It has affected everybody in the neighbourhood.

“The lady opposite has got three kids and she said that they have all been struggling to sleep.

“I know Sue is hoping to get a bigger dog so she can feel safer.

Her husband is now staying at home.”