Major police update as schoolboy, 8, shot dead on farm while 'hunting rabbits'

Cumbria Police have an issued an update after a man was arrested when a boy was shot in the face near a farm in Warcop. The boy tragically died in hospital in Cumbria

A man has been released on bail after an eight-year-old boy was shot in the head near a farm.

Police were called to reports that a child was injured with a firearm at a property in Warcop on Saturday. The boy was hospitalised with serious injuries to his face and head and sadly passed away overnight.

Cumbria Police said they arrested a man in his 60s. According to The Sun, the man was shooting rabbits on the field with the landowner's permission when the incident happened. Locals believe that the fatal shooting was accidental.

In a statement they released earlier, a spokesperson for Cumbria Police said: "Emergency services were called at around 2.50pm on Saturday to a farm in the Warcop area following a report that a child had been seriously injured by a firearm at the property.

"The firearm was secured at the scene by police and an eight-year-old boy was taken to hospital by air ambulance having suffered serious and life-threatening injuries to his head and face.

"Sadly, the boy died overnight. Officers arrested a man in his 60s at the scene on suspicion of assault GBH. He remains in police custody but is now under arrest on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter."

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