A father apparently shot his young daughter in the head before turning the gun on himself.

The girl is fighting for her life after being shot with a gun in Spring Hill, Northiam, East Sussex.

Armed police officers were called to reports of gunshots at about 4pm yesterday.

The girl, who is seven-year-old, was taken to King’s College Hospital in London.

A Sussex Police spokesman said this morning that she is "gravely ill".

Eyewitnesses said that after the girl was shot the man was involved in a stand-off with police as he sat inside his car.Sussex Police initially said the man had been “contained” – but at 7pm announced the body of a man had been found and his death was not suspicious.

Officers sealed off Spring Hill while they investigated the incident and reassured the public over Twitter that they were not at risk.

Northiam resident Anthony Burr, 37, said: “I’ve heard from people here at the scene that it was the father of a six or eight-year-old girl who shot her in the head.

“I heard a gunshot myself at about 4pm. I've been a journalist for many years and recognise the sound of gunshots. As soon as I heard it I knew.

“We locked our kids inside thinking the gunman was at large but we don't know if he was.

“The police came and now people are saying he either shot himself or the police shot him.

“It’s a lovely little village. It’s said all the time, but this kind of thing doesn’t happen here. It’s a real shock.”

Public relations worker Mr Burr said he believed the father did not live in the area and had been visiting his ex-partner’s house.

Northiam residents tweeted about the incident late yesterday evening.Izzy Simmons said: “12 police cars 2 undercover cars and 2 ambulances just hope the little girl or her mum whoevers been shot is okay! #northiam.”

It was reported last night that the girl attends Beckley Primary School in the village.

Chief Superintendent Neil Honnor, Sussex Police's divisional commander for East Sussex, said: “We are treating this as a tragic domestic incident and do not believe that anyone else is involved.

“At this stage we are not in a position to confirm the relationships of all those involved but we can say that the girl and the man knew each other. The man does not live at the address.

“We are treating this as an isolated incident and there is no evidence that any other members of the public are at risk.”

A police cordon remained in place in the area as neighbours spoke of their shock at the shooting in their quiet, close-knit community.

Retired Eurotunnel worker Fred Lawrence, 75, said the girl took an interest in his pet cat and described her as a "lovely" youngster.

He said: "I last saw the girl this week as she was going to school. She was always with her mum. Her mum was very timid, easy to talk to and a bit insecure but a lovely lady and she would always talk.

"The girl was obsessed by my cat and she would make a fuss before going on her merry way to school. I'm a bit upset talking about this. I just feel shocked. It's bloody sad. A man, whether it was her father, he must have been in a hell of a state to do that.

"It's terrible what he has done but what had he been through to shoot the child. The girl's mum I would describe as, not scared, but timid. She seemed Irish.

"We are all close round here and we have lived in this community for around 40 years. It's a good neighbourhood."

Beckley C of E Primary School, which the girl attended, issued a statement saying they were praying for her and her family.

It said: "We have received confirmation that the child who was shot is a pupil at our school. This is a dreadfully sad and shocking incident and the whole school community are praying for her and her family."

Neighbour Denise Berwick, 38, who lives opposite where the shooting happened, saw the distressed mother cradling her daughter outside her home.

Ms Berwick, who has a nine-year-old son, said: "I had just come in from the school run when it all happened. All I heard was a lady shouting and then I looked out and she was cradling her child in her arms.

"I didn't want to go outside because I have a young child. I recognised the lady from when she introduced herself to me when I moved in.

"She's a lovely lady. She's polite, shook my hand when I first met her and said if I needed anything I could look upon her.

"I don't know if she had a partner and she had never mentioned anything about having domestic problems. It has just come as a huge shock because it's such a quiet area.

"I have never seen anything like that before. It's an absolute tragedy and my heart goes out to the girl and her family."

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