A six-year-old boy has shot and killed his father by accident.

James Lonaker, 62, was at his home in Hartsville, in the US state of Indiana when his son got hold of his gun and fired it - not realising it was loaded.

Members of his family told local newspaper, the Daily Journal, that he had removed his gun while he was changing clothes, placing it down, before looking at work on his computer.

Mr Lonaker’s wife was also in the house with their one-year-old child when the incident happened on Sunday 21st February.

In a statement, Bartholomew County Sheriff, Matt Myers, said the youngster "fired a shot and accidentally hit his father. The handgun belonged to the man who was shot."

He added that the man died while being flown by helicopter to the hospital.

Juli Lonaker, one of Mr Lonaker’s daughters from a previous marriage, also told the newspaper that the family wanted to ensure the child was not punished, calling it a “tragic, tragic accident”.

She said her father had owned guns all his life and had a permit to carry the revolver.