A lorry driver has been brought to hospital following an apparent pellet gun attack on the outskirts of Dublin.
The victim was hit in the face while he was driving his vehicle northwards on the M50.
The attack happened between the Ballymount exit and the Red Cow roundabout at around 2am. Gardaí believed he may have been fired on from the grass verge beside the motorway.
"He was very lucky. The driver managed to bring his truck to a stop and alert passing motorists." Gardaí sealed off one lane of the road for a time but it has since re-opened. Officers are still searching the grass verge for clues.
A Garda spokesman said: "The truck was taken from the scene in the early hours of this morning to Ballyfermot Garda Station to be examined."
He said the driver was in Tallaght hospital, but his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.