A GUNMAN went on the run after blasting at a house in Saltcoats amid an ongoing feud.

A court was told Lee Martin targeted the home last August as a man was at the back of the property feeding dogs.

A group of children went on to report they had seen a person with a gun and that he had shot the window.

Fortunately, no one was hurt during the incident.

The 23-year-old, from Ardrossan, was eventually found in Edinburgh around a fortnight later after police issued a 'missing person' appeal.

Martin had initially fled to a holiday let in Dumfriesshire, where he dumped the weapon.

The gun was later discovered and found to be a German made Mauser pistol dating from the 1930s.

Martin appeared at the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday, when he admitted culpably and recklessly discharging a firearm to the danger of others as well as having possession of the weapon.

Martin was remanded in custody and will be sentenced in August.

He is expected to serve at least five years in jail.

The court heard Martin appeared to be involved in a "feud" between a father and son who lived at the house.

Martin's own home had also been vandalised the night before, although those responsible had not been identified.

The father, son and other relatives had gone to a party on the night of the shooting on August 13 last year.

A friend then later came round to tend to their dogs.

Prosecutor Ali Murray told the court: "Around 40 minutes later, he was in the kitchen at the rear of the house when he heard a loud bang from the front.

"On investigating, he observed that the living room window was broken."

A neighbour clocked the gunman running off and then hearing another bang.

Police were alerted and a bullet was found on the living room floor of the house.

It was on August 25 that Martin was traced in Edinburgh. He denied any involvement in the incident.

However, in February this year, a woman walking along a riverbank in Moniaive in Dumfries-shire when she found a small bag.

It emerged Martin had stayed at holiday accommodation near there for a night after the shooting.

The gun was inside the bag - ballistic experts went on to link it to the crime in Saltcoats.

Lord Clark deferred sentencing for reports.