A shop worker is recovering in hospital after being shot in the leg in Liverpool.

The 23-year-old victim was attacked while working at the store in Smithdown Road, Wavertree, at about 2030 BST on Sunday.

His attacker then fled the scene in a waiting car.

Merseyside Police said it believed the shooting was related to an incident in Sheffield in April 2002.

Gangland activity

The injured man was undergoing surgery today to remove bullet fragments from his knee.

The attack has raised concerns among residents about gangland activity in the Wavertree area.

But Detective Inspector Kevin Sharpe said he believed people were not in danger.

Targeted attack

He said: "I can understand why they might feel that now, but I would like to reassure them we have a good idea what this is about.

"It is not indiscriminate or what you would call a 'drive-by shooting'."

He added: "We have several lines of inquiry, we believe this has probably been a targeted attack on this man.

"It is not indiscriminate and we believe it is linked to another incident which took place in April in the Sheffield area of the country."