SIR: Once again (Thursday, April 25 editorial) the BEN demonstrates its unreasoning anti-gun attitude and its ignorance of the legislation covering possession, legally, of firearms.

There are just under 90 regulations on firearms, most of which have sub sections up to three in number. None can prevent the illegal possession, as proved by the number handed in at the latest amnesty. So where are all the firearms being used in crime coming from? They certainly do not come from legitimate shooters who take great care of their security.

It appears the BEN is mounting the hobby horse of 'Under lock and key in secure premises', meaning central storage. Legitimate firearms are kept under lock and key, most often in strong steel cabinets fixed to solid brick walls secured with padlocks on steel cables inside and two, or more, padlocks outside. How would central storage prevent another incident? Perhaps the BEN would like firearms to be held in central security, where a determined thief can break in and collect the lot. Alternatively, perhaps the BEN would like firearms to be in care of the police? Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary reports on the storage of police firearms in these terms, 'Many armouries checked revealed weapons stored in an unsuitable condition'.

Whatever the cause of the rare incident at Dunblane, a complete ban on all firearms, which would only affect those obeying the law, would leave open the use of other weapons.

Capt (Retd) R Miles

Larch Street, Bury

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.