Tributes to boy, 8, fatally shot in head & face while ‘hunting rabbits’ on farm

TRIBUTES person flooded successful for an eight-year-old lad changeable dormant portion reportedly hunting rabbits connected a workplace arsenic he's pictured for the archetypal time.

Schoolboy Jay Cartmell was changeable successful the caput and look during the incident connected an isolated hillside adjacent Warcop, successful Cumbria connected Saturday afternoon.

A antheral successful his 60s was arrested astatine the country adjacent to Wheatsheaf Farm, initially connected suspicion of battle GBH and aboriginal of gross negligence manslaughter.

He has since been bailed.

Whitehaven Miners Social Football Club posted a tribute connected Facebook, saying: "Rip wee man... Our thoughts are with your household coaches successful squad mates."

One commenter said: "RIP small man. You were a talented small guy, and afloat of character.

"Pleasure to coach, and a pleasance to telephone my son's friend. In our hearts forever."

Another said: "Sleep choky small man, everlastingly a U9 miners blue. Sending tons of emotion and spot to each your small friends, schoolhouse friends, squad mates and family."

"Rest successful bid Jay, a amusive and beauteous friend... and specified a loving small boy, with that cheeky smile... Sending truthful so overmuch emotion to each of your household and friends."

A 4th idiosyncratic said: "RIP small man, gone mode way excessively soon heartbreaking. Thinking of each household and friends astatine this precise bittersweet time."

Emergency services were called to the country astatine astir 2.50pm. The lad died successful infirmary overnight into Sunday.

Cumbria Constabulary said a firearm was secured by officers astatine the scene.

The Sun understands the brace were connected the onshore rabbiting.

A root told america yesterday: "They had support to beryllium connected the land. There's been an statement successful spot for years for them to rabbit there."

One of the section tenants who uses the pasture said they believed that those progressive could beryllium members of the traveller community.

They said: "We conscionable rent that land… There's the gypsy just connected Brough Hill, truthful seemingly it's immoderate of them. That's the rumour going round."

The celebrated Appleby Horse Fair, which attracts astir 10,000 travellers each year, is based astir six miles from the tract of the tragedy.

Another husbandman said the child's household is "deeply upset".

"It was a tragic accident," helium told The Sun.

"I consciousness truthful atrocious for the family, our thoughts are with them. It’s profoundly upsetting."

An MoD firing scope is adjacent to the onshore wherever the schoolboy was injured.

An MoD spokesperson confirmed it is not involved.

Witnesses reported seeing 5 constabulary cars and an aerial ambulance, arsenic good arsenic forensics officers successful the tract connected Saturday afternoon.

Cumbria Police said connected Sunday: “An eight-year-old lad was taken to infirmary by aerial ambulance having suffered superior and life-threatening injuries to his caput and face.

"Sadly, the lad has died overnight.”