Shot slaughterman dies

Police are working with Health and Safety Executive to investigate incident

A slaughterman who was shot with a bolt gun during a cull of animals in Cumbria has died in hospital.

Cumbria Police say Steven Smart, 28, of St Leonards, East Sussex, died at Newcastle General Hospital at 1700BST on Thursday.

Mr Smart, a former butcher, suffered serious head injuries after the weapon was discharged at Great Orton in Cumbria, on Wednesday afternoon.

A 37-year-old man, from Atherstone, Warwickshire, has been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Another man was treated for shock at Cumberland General Infirmary.

A spokesman for Cumbria Police refused to speculate on what had happened during the incident at the former airfield, where thousands of animals were being slaughtered and buried in an effort to tackle foot-and-mouth disease.

"It is impossible to say what happened at this stage," he said.

He said police were working closely with the Health and Safety Executive.

It is believed officers are investigating the possibility of a disagreement between the two men or whether the accident was caused by a prank which went wrong.

Mr Smart was one of many slaughtermen drafted in from across the country to help with the mass cull of livestock to fight the spread of foot-and-mouth disease.