Stanley Metcalf had been visiting relative’s home near Hull at the time of the incident

A six-year-old boy died after being shot in the abdomen with a pellet gun in east Yorkshire, a coroner has heard.

Stanley Metcalf died at Hull Royal Infirmary after an incident at a house in Sproatley, a village north-east of Hull, on 26 July.

Hull coroners court heard on Monday that a postmortem found the cause of the boy’s death was “an airgun projectile wound to his abdomen”, the BBC reported.

Humberside police were called to the house at 3.57pm on 26 July after reports that a boy had been seriously injured.

Giving evidence at the hearing, Det Sgt Julian Gibbs said: “Upon examination by family members, Stanley Metcalf was found to have a small hole to the side of the abdomen.” The child was taken to hospital, where he died at 5.23pm the same day.

Police said Stanley had been visiting a family member’s home at the time of the incident.

Speaking at the scene the following morning, DCI Mark Goulding said: “We’re still investigating the circumstances of exactly what happened, but initial indications are that this was a tragic accident involving a pellet gun.

“We haven’t made any arrests in connection with the incident, but we are speaking to a number of family members to assist us with our inquiries.”

Goulding said police were investigating whether the owner of the weapon held a licence, adding that certain types of airgun did not require one.

On Monday, the coroner Paul Marks opened and adjourned the inquest, which will be resumed once the police investigation has concluded.



Speaking to the press after the incident, Stanley’s 84-year-old great-grandmother, who did not want to be named, said he was “a brainy, kind little boy” and a massive football fan.

She said he had a twin sister who “loved him to bits”, adding: “I don’t know how you’re supposed to explain things like that to a six-year-old girl. I’ve just been in floods of tears ever since it happened.”