Parents of child shot dead at farm pay tribute to ‘kind, full of mischief’ son

Jay Cartmell suffered injuries to his head and face on land near the A66, north of Warcop in Cumbria, on September 28.

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

Jay’s parents, Leigha and James Cartmell, told of their heartbreak in a statement issued by Cumbria Police.

They said: “We are heartbroken at the passing of our perfect little boy – Jay Cartmell, eight years.

“He was loving, kind and full of mischief, the best boy that anyone could wish for and the third corner of our beautiful family ‘triangle’.

“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, where he first attended aged one years.

“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.”

Jay 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.

They also told of how Jay enjoyed fishing and rabbiting with his father and helped care for the family pets, including four lurchers, five ferrets and his own bearded dragon named Spike.

He loved school and had a talent for maths, with 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.”

Emergency services were called at around 2.50pm on September 28 to the property where a firearm was secured.

Jay, from Frizington, Cumbria, was taken by air ambulance to hospital where he died overnight.