Father beats 11-year-old son to death with cricket bat

A mother spoke of her shock after her estranged husband killed their 11-year-old son at cricket practice before being shot dead by police in front of horrified onlookers in suburban Australia.

Luke Batty was beaten, reportedly with a cricket bat to the head, soon after training with his junior team on Wednesday evening at the Tyabb oval on the Mornington Peninsula, 100km south-east of Melbourne.

He suffered significant injuries and died at the scene. Reports said he was also stabbed, although this could not be confirmed.