A FIREFIGHTER has said he felt 'like he had been shot' after being struck by metal nut reportedly slingshot from a passing vehicle.

Thames Valley Police are currently investigating a number of reports of similar attacks across the Woodley and Earley area in June.

A teenager has since been arrested as a result of the investigation, and has since been released on bail.

Firefighter Vincent Williams, from Woodley, is among the several local residents to have reported the attacks, which he said happened during a late morning jog at 11.56am on Tuesday, June 25. 

The 48-year-old said he was towards the end of his run when he came up to the row of shops by Woodley precinct. He moved out of the way of a pedestrian, before a sudden feeling of excruciating pain in his right elbow. 

"Whatever hit me, it hit me really hard," Mr Williams said. "It felt like I had been shot. There was a big pop and I was suddenly in a lot of pain, it buckled my arm completely."

Mr Williams said he was in shock after the incident trying to piece together what had actually happened. He originally thought that something had shot up out from underneath a car as it drove past him. 

The incident left Mr Williams arm bleeding before it swelled up to the size of a golf ball.

"I couldn't move my arm or use my fingers of anything," he said. "I then had to go to A&E and went to the minor injuries clinic to have an X-ray.

"I honestly thought at the time that I had broken or at least cracked some bones."

After Mr Williams returned from A&E, he saw a Facebook post from a woman who had reported a similar incident.

The post showed a photograph of a large metal nut that had reportedly hit her hand. Mr Williams then returned to where he was injured near Woodley precinct and found the same kind of metal nut.

A further incident of a similar nature was also reported to the Chronicle, with reports of a person being injured while out walking in the area.

Thames Valley Police confirmed numerous reports have been received of criminal damage and assaults across Woodley and Earley between midday and 1.30pm on June 25.

Mr Williams added that just days prior to his own injury, his wife's car, which was parked on the street outside their house on June 14, had its window's smashed and a metal nut found on the passenger seat. 

"I don't think I'm being targeted as it seems completely random," Mr Williams said. "Because of all the other people involved, there's no way it's targeted."

If you or anyone you know has any information on the incident contact police on 101, quoting 43240298626.