Detectives have launched an investigation into the death of the boy on Monday afternoon, after he was shot as a group of children played in the back garden of a large country home.

It is believed Jonathon was on holiday with a friend from west London, who was visiting his grandparents in the Wiltshire village.

Neighbours said that the shooting happened at the home of Bernard Allnutt, 75, and his wife Pamela. The boy was taken by helicopter to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol but died hours later.

It is not known whether Jonathan was using the rifle himself or if anyone else was involved. However it appears to be a tragic accident, and detectives are not treating the death as suspicious. They are talking to the mother of the boy to establish what happened.

She said: "Joe was a gorgeous, cheeky, beautiful, bright little bundle of joy who lit up the room - our little Indiana Jones.

"He died in a tragic accident and we love him to infinity and beyond. His death will leave a huge hole in our lives. He will be missed by anyone who knew him, as he touched so many lives.

"We would now request privacy at this difficult time so we can remember our lovely little boy in peace."

A local resident said: "The Allnutt's grandson lives in Harrow with his parents and we heard that Jonathan Cook was a friend of their grandson who was visiting Fovant on holiday.

"During the school holidays they often come over to stay, but this time a friend of theirs came too.

"We saw about five young lads playing in the garden, but we don't know which ones are grandkids and which were friends.

"We heard all the noise from the helicopters. It's a real tragedy."

A spokesman for Wiltshire police said: "We can confirm that following a call at 12.15pm yesterday, officers attended a property in the Fovant area of Tisbury to reports that a young child had been injured with an air rifle.

"The child was airlifted to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol but sadly died yesterday afternoon.

"We are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding his death but we are not treating it as suspicious at this time.

"A report for Her Majesty's Coroner for Swindon and Wiltshire is being prepared and it is not appropriate to comment further."

Fovant is a rural village in the Tisbury area of Wiltshire, between Salisbury and Shaftesbury. It is largely known as a tourist attraction for its collection of giant regimental badges, which were carved into the chalk downs by soldiers camped in the area during the First World War.

A website for the village says it has a "traditional community where the daily life of everyone is the subject of much interest by all".

There have been a spate of air rifle shootings during the summer school holidays. Last week, a five-year-old girl was shot in the head while she played near her home in Workington, Cumbria. She was not seriously injured.

Nottinghamshire police also issued a warning last week about the dangers of using air rifles after a 16-year-old boy teenager was injured when a pellet lodged close to his kidney after he was shot from behind.