Under firearms legislation which banned the ownership of handguns in England, Scotland and Wales in the aftermath of the Dunblane school shooting in 1996 when 16 pupils and a teacher died, British shooters vying for Olympic or Commonwealth medals are not allowed to train on home soil and have to spend thousands of pounds to practise in Zurich.

The ban is already costing British shooters dear - none has qualified for this year's Olympic Games in Beijing.

Recognising the need for more practise, the Ministry of Defence has now agreed in principle to allow a select squad of 50 pistol shooters to train in the UK and representatives from the sports' governing body - British Shooting - are to meet officials from the Home Office next month to discuss the details.

 

But Mick Gault, who holds the record for the most Commonwealth medals, said the announcement was "a very small step in the right direction".

He told the Eastern Daily Press in an interview published today: "The sport has been dying out gradually as a result of the ban."

 

Gault, who has 15 Commonwealth medals, added: "It's only one or two die-hards like me who have been keeping it alive.

 

"I normally travel to Switzerland in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games to train and that's a very costly business.

"The reprieve is a half-hearted measure and will only affect 50 people - which is a relatively small number.

 

"I suppose the training will take place on specially organised MoD ranges."