A seven-year-old girl has died in hospital after she was shot in the head by her estranged father who then killed himself.

Mary Shipstone was fatally wounded following the incident in Northiam, near Rye, yesterday afternoon. She died at King's College Hospital in London at 2.56pm today.

Villagers said her father Yasser Alromisse turned up at his ex-partner Lyndsey Shipstone's home before opening fire at about 4pm on Thursday.

Mary was shot outside her home by a man in a car parked on a driveway next to her home.

Armed officers who went to the scene in Spring Hill amid reports the gunman was at large found a man's body in a car parked outside.

The man has not yet been formally identified but is believed to be Mary's estranged father, Yasser Alromisse. He did not live at the address and was separated from Mary's mother.

Detective Chief Inspector Jason Taylor said: "This is a fast-moving investigation and there are still a large amount of inquiries being carried out before we can confirm the full picture of what happened.

"We are currently trying to establish Mr Alromisse's movements over the last few days and are keen to hear from anyone who may have seen or heard from him.

"At this time however, I am not looking for anyone else in connection with this investigation and believe this to be an isolated incident."

Chief Superintendent Neil Honnor, Sussex Police's divisional commander for East Sussex, said: "This was a tragic domestic incident that has had the most terrible of outcomes for the family.

"We are working with partner agencies and local leaders to support and reassure the community who are understandably upset about what has happened.

"We are trying to be as open and honest with the public as we can but have to take into account the traumatic experience the family is going through as well as the fact that this is an ongoing investigation.

"If anyone has any concerns about the safety of their neighbourhood I would urge them to contact us but we are sure this was an isolated incident and that no one else is in any danger."

Mary's family asked for a short statement to be released, via Sussex Police.
 
It reads: "We are today grieving the death of our beautiful and loving Mary.
 
"We would please ask that the public and media respect our privacy and allow us to try to come to terms with what has happened.
 
"We will not be making any further comment unless it is through Sussex Police."

Trained police officers and hospital staff are currently supporting Mary's mother and brother through their terrible ordeal.

This afternoon Sussex Police officers searched a property in Broomfield Avenue in Worthing, believed to be Alromisse's home.

Anyone with information about the incident should email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk quoting Operation Oakfield, call 101 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.