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A two year-old girl has been shot in the head with a crossbow bolt at a house in Liverpool.

The child was hurt at a home on Oakhouse Park in the Walton area of the city on Tuesday afternoon when a "crossbow was discharged", police said.

The weapon involved has been seized and was being forensically examined, but no arrests have been made.

The girl remains in hospital with a serious head injury, Merseyside Police added.

Det Insp Sabi Kaur 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 inquiries are at a very early stage and we are still trying to establish the full facts, but we know it was an isolated incident."

"This incident shows the obvious dangers posed by firearms stored in Merseyside."