Viral Orbeez challenge can cause ‘serious harm to individuals’

A woman was rushed to hospital with a serious eye injury after she was shot in the face with a gel pellet fired from a BB gun in Surrey – with others taking to social media to complain of similar attacks.

And some have suggested the incident may be part of a sinister new TikTok trend known as the “Orbeez challenge”, where participants are encouraged to target strangers with pellets from so-called “gel blasters”.

The victim, a member of door staff at the Slug and Lettuce pub in Chodham Road, Woking, was hit just before 11pm on Saturday.

She was subsequently taken to hospital for medical treatment, with police saying it was too soon to say whether the damage was permanent. An 18-year-old man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of assault causing ABH-level injuries.

Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward, particularly anyone who saw a white BMW passing the Slug and Lettuce between 10.50pm and 11pm.

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Inspector Sandra Carlier, Borough Commander for Woking, said: “This is reckless, thoughtless behaviour which has already resulted in someone needing hospital treatment for serious injuries.

“We are investigating at pace to find those responsible and I would encourage anyone who has any information about these reports and hasn’t yet spoken to police to please contact us.”

People shared similar experiences on the Woking Residents Community Page on Facebook.

Posting yesterday, one, Matt Ashton, said: “Silver BMW 4 people, shooting “Orbies?” by Atkins Close. Caught my son in the face. Police called.”

Another, Clare Smith, responded: “Hope he’s ok, my boy got shot in the neck with something a few days ago but the car was black.”

Yesterday Nathan Powell commented: “Hi everyone, just to make people aware my mate and I were sat outside Wetherspoons on Chertsey Road at around 6.30 and were shot In the head with a BB gun.

“Fortunately we are okay. I’ve reported it to the police. But please be aware and be careful especially if you are with kids and stuff etc.”

In a post into which he copied Woking Borough Council, Kevin Swinchin replied: “As you own Chertsey Road, can it not be temporarily closed to cars for the safety of pedestrians?

“They seem to be targeting customers sitting outside either eating or drinking at The Junction Tap and Wetherspoons by driving slowly past and firing at them.

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“Someone is going to get seriously hurt if no action is taken. It’s happened a few times over the weekend too.”

A Woking Borough Council spokesman said: “We are aware of the Surrey Police-led investigation into these very worrying incidents on Chertsey Road in Woking.

“We continue to collaborate with partners to make Woking a safer place for everyone.”

Gel blasters, which are legal in this country, can be purchased online for as little as £30.

According to the orbeezgunreview.com website, pellets can travel as fast as 210 feet per second – in other words, at 75 percent of the speed of paintball pellets, the use of which is strictly prohibited.

Other recent incidents have included pellets fired at the Pride March in Bristol at the weekend, leaving participants shaken but unhurt, and another in which 26-year-old Sadie Eatherley, from Batley in Yorkshire, was hit in the face by one through the window of her car.

TikTok posts using the #OrbeezChallenge hashtag show people playing with the small gel-filled balls – but other videos show users shooting others with a gun filled with the pellets.

Express.co.uk has contacted Spinmaster, the manufacturer of Orbeez, for comment.

Anyone with CCTV, dashcam or helmet cam footage which might assist the investigation into the Slug and Lettuce incident is being asked to contact Surrey Police, quoting PR/45230073124 via its website here, its online tool, or by calling on 101.

If they do not wish to speak to police, they can call independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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