A Blenheim man has been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm after a shooting near the town early yesterday morning.

The 47-year-old man has been held in custody and is to appear in the Blenheim District Court today.

Tasman district police communications manager Barbara Dunn said a 30-year-old man was shot in the leg with a .22 calibre rifle about 4am yesterday.

The incident happened on a private property on Redwood Pass Rd, south of Blenheim.

It was not a hunting accident, Dunn said.

The man in custody had been looking after the house where the shooting took place while the owners were on holiday, she said. They had been in Wellington but came home after being notified.

The victim, formerly of Blenheim and now living in Christchurch, was visiting the man while he was house-sitting.

St John operations team manager Pete Davidson said the ambulance crew was called out at 4.40am by the victim. He had a serious gunshot wound to his thigh.

He was treated at the scene after police made sure the area was secured, Davidson said.

The man was taken to Wairau Hospital for treatment.

A hospital spokeswoman said the victim was in a stable condition yesterday afternoon. She would not confirm whether he had undergone surgery.

Detective Sergeant Jason Hillgrove, of the Blenheim police, said the man was sitting in his car conscious and in a lot of pain when officers arrived at the Redwood Pass Rd property about 5am.

The police were not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident but were still investigating the circumstances of the shooting.

- The Marlborough Express

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