Chris Titley must have a strange sense of values if he finds the photograph in the Evening Press (May 24) of a qualified instructor teaching youngsters how to use a shotgun safely on inanimate targets "far more shocking" than a picture of an African child soldier with an assault rifle.

Britain has among the strictest gun laws in the world, and as Mr Titley correctly observes, a virtually nil death rate from shooting. The few deaths there are, are mostly carried out by adult criminals using illegal guns - usually pistols, whose use in crime has risen despite the complete ban on their legitimate ownership three years ago.

There are very strict rules on children using shotguns, but it is allowed under adult supervision.

Despite Mr. Titley's ill-informed hysteria, this is long-standing and recognised that it encourages a proper understanding of the safe use of guns leading to responsible attitudes and behaviour helping public safety. The Home Office's own evidence to the recent Parliamentary Select Committee looking at the gun laws was that misuse of shotguns by youngsters is virtually nil, and there is no safety or crime problem created by supervised use and legitimate ownership. It is inane to equate this situation with African child soldiers, many of whom have been forced into a living hell where they must murder, rape or mutilate other people.

Mr. Titley's other argument that gun ownership per se encourages crime is equally wrong-headed. About a million Britons use shotguns, mostly for clay-pigeon target shooting. Shooting is this country's third largest participatory sport, and one of its safest. The USA has very high levels of homicide using weapons other than guns. Maybe this says something about America and Americans!

Laurie Holland,

Keble Park Crescent,

Bishopthorpe, York.

26/05/00