An eight-year-old girl has died after being accidentally shot in the head with an arrow, Australian police said.

A New South Wales state police spokesman said the incident happened on December 26 near the small town of Manilla in the state's north.

The girl was airlifted to a hospital in Sydney for emergency surgery but died yesterday. She has not been named.

Police would not release any details on how the girl was shot but said it was accidental rather than suspicious and officials do not expect to make any arrests.

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