Girl, 7, kills friend while playing with gun

A seven-year-old girl has shot dead her friend, aged six, with her grandfather’s revolver while playing at a farm in South Africa, police said.

“They were playing together and in the process she got hold of the revolver, which hit the deceased in the face,” said police spokeswoman Ronel Otto.

The girl, who died at the scene, was the daughter of a farm worker and had been friends with the farmer’s granddaughter for some time.

“The seven-year-old was visiting her grandparents on a farm outside Bela-Bela when she allegedly shot her friend with a 0.38 revolver,” Ms Otto said.

The surviving girl is now back with her parents in Johannesburg.

Police have opened a murder case but are waiting for advice from the national prosecution authority on how to proceed.

The 60-year-old grand-father is due to appear in court on charges of negligent handling of a firearm.