Authorities on Crete were last night looking for an armed man who entered an army camp while families were visiting soldiers there and opened fire on a 19-year-old conscript.

The soldier was struck by a bullet in the thigh but doctors at Rethymnon Hospital said last night that he had only suffered a light injury.

It is estimated that there were some 500 people at the Theodorakis army camp in Rethymnon when the incident occurred at 11.20 a.m. The suspect is said to have fired some four shots at the conscript.

He then threatened soldiers who tried to detain him before making his getaway.

Witnesses recognized the gunman and police said that the incident was linked to a dispute between the families of the two men.