Eight-year-old Jay Cartmell died from a suspected shotgun injury sustained while on a rabbit shooting expedition in the Eden Valley, an inquest has heard.
Tributes were paid to Jay, of Frizington, following his tragic death after an incident at Warcop last month.
Jay was a junior player at Whitehaven Miners Social Football Club, had been following in his father’s footsteps by taking up speedway at Workington Comets and was said to have loved being outdoors.
Last weekend, junior and senior footballers across Cumbria paid tribute to Jay by holding a minute’s applause before matches.
In a tribute, heartbroken parents Leigha and James described him as loving, kind and full of mischief.
Police said Jay had died following an incident during the afternoon of September 28. A spokesman said he had sustained serious head injuries following an incident on land near the village, close to the A66.
Officers and North West Ambulance Service staff attended. A firearm was said to have been secured at the scene. A man in his 60s arrested by police on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter was later released on bail.
An inquest into Jay’s death was formally opened at Cockermouth Coroners’ Court this morning.
Dr Nicholas Shaw, assistant coroner for Cumbria, noted that the youngster had been airlifted to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary, where he died.
Dr Shaw said during a short hearing: “The brief circumstances are that Jay sadly sustained a serious injury during a rabbit shooting expedition.”
It was suspected, said the coroner, that he had suffered a shotgun injury.
Because police had begun an investigation, the inquest proceedings were being suspended at the current time.
Once police enquiries conclude, a decision will be taken in due course by a coroner about whether a full inquest will be needed on a future date.
Dr Shaw formally suspended the inquest proceedings. He also said evidence of identification in the case had been provided by a funeral director, who was also a friend of Jay’s family.
