THE brother of boxing champion turned actor Rab Affleck has been shot

outside his home in Irvine.

Mr Thomas Affleck, 33, was returning to his home in Fleming Terrace

after walking his dogs when a man approached and fired both barrels of a

shotgun at him.

His common-law wife, Yvonne Hutchinson, heard the shots and ran out to

find Mr Affleck lying dazed and bleeding on the path. She called an

ambulance and he was taken to Crosshouse Hospital where he is now stable

after emergency surgery.

Ms Hutchinson and the couple's three children, Craig, 13, Cameron, 10,

and six-year-old Angela, were being comforted by relatives last night.

Mr Rab Affleck called for people to help the police and spoke of the

''cowardly gun law which is ruling the streets''.

Mr Affleck, 42, who held the Scottish amateur boxing title and fought

for the British professional crown at light heavyweight in the 1970s,

said: ''I cannot believe someone could do this to my brother.''

* In June of this year Mrs Agnes Love, 46, was found dead in her home

in Fleming Terrace by a young neighbour.