MY teenage son is a member of a rifle and pistol club and over the years has become more skilled at target shooting, winning medals and cups.

He could go far, represent his country and so forth, or he could just enjoy the weekly meetings at the club - until now that is, because of the cost of £50 soon to be imposed for a firearm certificate.

You can rest assured the criminals won't be handing in their weapons or buying a certificate, so once again the innocent, disciplined sportsmen/women will be penalised, and being law-abiding citizens will no doubt have to cough up this fee.

I am sorry to say that common sense compels me to inform readers that when guns are outlawed (even airguns), only outlaws will have guns.

Cynthia Berry,

Far Ings,

Wigginton Road, York.

Updated: 11:54 Wednesday, March 03, 2004