Cumbria: Parents of boy, 8, killed in farm shooting ‘heartbroken’ by death of ‘perfect little boy’

The parents of an eight-year-old boy who was shot dead on a farm in Cumbria have said they are “heartbroken at the passing of our perfect little boy”.

Jay Cartmell suffered serious head injuries on land near the A66, north of Warcop, on 28 September.

A man in his 60s was arrested at the scene and held on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter. He was later bailed.

Jay’s parents, Leigha and James Cartmell, have paid tribute to him in a statement issued by Cumbria Police, remembering him as “loving, kind and full of mischief”.

They said he was “the best boy that anyone could wish for and the third corner of our beautiful family ‘triangle’”.

They added: “Jay loved being outdoors, the muddier he could get the better and was starting to follow in the footsteps of his dad with his obsession for speedway at Workington.

“He always went to the pit to fist-bump his heroes, local racers Harry and Sam McGurk.

“Jay was a talented rider himself and was showing real promise for the sport.”

The young boy also played football, and was a defender at Whitehaven Miners Football Club, where he would “occasionally” score an own goal, “but that didn’t dampen his enthusiasm”, his parents said.

His favourite player was Manchester City striker Erling Haaland and he dreamed of moving to Brazil to meet Lionel Messi, they added.

Jay, from Frizington in Cumbria, enjoyed fishing and rabbiting with his father and helped care for the family pets, including four lurcher dogs, five ferrets and his own bearded dragon named Spike.

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He loved school and was talented at maths, with his parents adding: “Jay was extremely loved, not only by us, but by all who met him.

“He had fantastic friends and always had a smile on his face.

“We will miss him every day, but his love surrounds us and his memory will never fade.”