The family of an 18-month-old Birmingham boy shot in the head with an airgun said they hoped anyone with such weapons realised how dangerous they could be.

Rashid Rullah remains in a critical condition in hospital after what police described as a “tragic accident” in Washwood Heath on Sunday.

Rashid’s family said in a brief statement: “We hope that anyone who has an air weapon realises how dangerous these guns can be and what serious injuries they can cause.

“We do not wish to add anything further at this difficult time for our family and would ask the media to respect our privacy.”

The boy’s grandfather Bakht Rammand, aged 48, said previously that Rashid was accidentally shot by his five-year-old sister as they played in the garden of their family home.

The exact circumstances of how the weapon came to be discharged are still being investigated.

Andrew Picken, the father of 12-year-old Mitchel Picken, who was killed in 2006 as his friends played with an air weapon, said: “The Government cannot hide behind recent changes in legislation, which failed to take the airgun problem seriously enough and make owners responsible for storing their weapons safely.

“Airguns and their owners could be registered, and they should be.”

Rashid's grandfather said previously the toddler had been playing in the back garden with his father and sister. He said the boy’s father, handyman Bakht Zaman, was using the gun moments before the accident, which happened shortly before 7pm.

Mr Rammand said: “He was target practising with the gun and then somebody rang his mobile. The gun was ready to fire and he answered the phone. Rashid’s sister is really active and she got hold of the gun and pointed it at her brother.

“He was on the high ground and she was on the low ground. It hit him right in the middle of the back of his head.”

Mr Rammand said it was a “really bad idea” to keep airguns in the house, adding that he would have destroyed the weapon if he had known about it.

“Keeping guns in the house is a really bad idea for everybody,” he said. “For yourself, for your children, for everybody. For your children and for your neighbours’ children."