Shocked residents today described how a seriously injured two-year-old girl had to be "carried aloft" to an ambulance after she was shot in a crossbow accident.
Emergency services rushed to the scene in Oakhouse Park, Walton, at around 2pm yesterday following reports a child had been struck with an arrow.
The toddler suffered a head injury and was taken to hospital where her condition was this afternoon described as "serious".
A crossbow has been recovered from the semi-detached property and will be forensically examined by experts.
Nobody has been arrested or formally questioned about the incident, and early indications point to it being a complete accident.
What Julie Davies said to the men who killed her girlfriend - in full
Neighbours said a couple lived at the address with their two-year-old daughter and a boy, said to be aged 11.
It is understood detectives are not looking for anybody else in connection with the incident.
One woman told the ECHO: "I saw her getting carried out.
"It was horrific, she's only a baby.
Crowds gather as seagull gets stuck on city centre shop wall
"They carried her out, they had to get her in the ambulance quick - police and paramedics all carried her.
"The paramedics parked behind the [estate] bars as they didn't know how to get onto the estate."
Another neighbour described the house where it happened as a "quiet family" and said they would sometimes see the 11-year-old boy riding up and down on a bike.
One local said she heard the sound of raised voices, or arguing, just before the police descended on the new housing estate, off Rice Lane.
Another woman said: "I talked to the police this morning.
"I just asked 'how is she' as I've got two children myself.
Crowds gather as seagull gets stuck on city centre shop wall
"They said they think she's out of danger, but we're not sure."
Another woman said: "They needed to move [her], but obviously you can't move her, because whether it was moved an inch [the arrow] it would have brain damaged her."
The accident happened inside the house.
Detective Inspector Sabi Kaur, of Merseyside Police, said: "I am sure the community in Walton will share our shock and distress at the fact a child could have been hurt in this way.
"Our enquiries into this incident are at a very early stage, and we are still trying to establish the full facts but we know it was an isolated incident."
DI Kaur added: "This incident shows the obvious dangers posed by firearms stored in Merseyside.
Job cuts at trust where super-head who just left Wirral school has just been appointed
“We will continue to listen to all of the information we receive to help us identify and remove these weapons from the streets.
“You can provide information directly to police, or anonymously via Crimestoppers, which is completely independent of Merseyside Police."
Anyone with information about firearms is asked to contact Merseyside Police social media desk via Twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook Merseyside Police CC. You can also call 101 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/give-information.
