AN 18-month-old boy is in a critical condition in hospital after being shot in the head with an airgun.

AN 18-month-old boy is in a critical condition in hospital after being shot in the head with an airgun.

It is believed the person who fired the shot was aged under five.

The victim suffered very serious head injuries after the incident in Birmingham.

An ambulance, two rapid response vehicles and a doctor rushed to a house in the Washwood Heath area around 6.40pm yesterday.

The boy was taken to the city's Children's Hospital, where his condition was said to be stable, but critical.

Detective Inspector Simon Vowles. of West Midlands Police said: ""The toddler was playing with other young children in the garden of his home when he sustained a pellet wound to the back of the head from an air weapon."

He said officers were not seeking anyone else in connection with the incident.

"A strong line of inquiry is that young children, aged under five, somehow managed to access the air weapon and accidentally caused it to go off," he added.

"This does appear to be a tragic accid- ent involving young children."

Three years ago, two-year-old Andrew Morton, of Easterhouse, Glasgow, died after being shot in the head while watching a fire engine in the street with his older brother.

Mark Bonini, 27, was later jailed for life for his murder and will serve at least 13 years.

The toddler's parents Andy Morton and Sharon MacMillan have campaigned for air weapons to be outlawed.