A 13-year-old boy has been praised as a hero for saving his younger sister from a kidnapper using his catapult.

And the teenage boy’s heroics have been compared in local media to the biblical story of David and Goliath.

Owen Burns was playing video games at home in Alpena Township, a rural town in Alpena County, in the US state of Michigan, when he heard his eight-year-old sister scream.

The young girl had been looking for mushrooms in the garden and at first, Owen paid no attention, but when she screamed a second time, he decided to act.

Owen told local media that he saw a 17-year-old male who had apparently emerged from the forest trying to kidnap his sister, who has not been named, in the incident which took place on 10th May.

Owen said: “Her mouth was closed, and he was hugging her on his chest. My sister kicked him and then he started running after her.”

The teenage boy added: “I get my slingshot, got a marble and rock then I shot [the suspect] three times in the head and chest.”

After hitting the suspect with his slingshot, which is what a catapult is called in the US, Owen, who has been hailed a hero in local media, called his mother, named as Margaret Burns, before dialling 911.

Margaret said: “They were in a state of panic and screaming and she was crying and the only word I could make out of the whole conversation was kidnap.”

The Michigan State Police said that the suspect, who has not been named due to his age but who is reportedly a local, fled through the woods to a nearby petrol station where he was arrested with injuries to his head and chest.

Alpena Post Commander Lt. John Grimshaw said: “What he did helped us to identify who the suspect was because obviously, he had injuries from getting hit with a slingshot.

“To see that and pop into action that quickly is extraordinary and he should be commended for it.”

Andrew Burns, Owen and his sister’s father, said: “Once it all set in, it kind of hit pretty hard. Because it could have been a whole different outcome.”

Both parents said that they are “extremely proud and forever grateful” for their son’s bravery.

Owen said that he would not hesitate to do the same thing again, saying: “If it does happen again, I’ll do it again.”

The police said that the suspect has been charged as an adult with assault and battery, attempted assault, and attempted kidnapping.

He was remanded in custody and his bond was set at USD 150,000 (GBP 121,000).