A PRESTON man whose son comforted teachers after the Dunblane tragedy has hit out at plans to hold a mock shoot-out at a school summer fair.

Ron Yates's son, Keith, Chief Executive at Stirling Council, counselled Dunblane primary school staff after the March massacre in which 16 children died.

Mr Yates spoke out after hearing that Ashton on Ribble High School plans to hold a 'wild West' spectacular where actors dressed as cowboys will stage a gun fight using blanks.

The attraction, performed by a group called Western Creations, includes a shoot-out with 9mm pistols and air pistols.

Children are invited to take part, shooting with cap guns under supervision.

However Mr Yates believes that children should not have contact with guns of any kind and definitely not so soon after Dunblane:

"I think it is terrible that they should think of such a thing at this time especially when the Dunblane inquiry is still going on," he said.

"Keith and I share the same views. Children come first every time and I don't think that an event like this should go ahead due to the effect it may have on some of them.

"It is disturbing. I do not think that children should be anywhere near guns of any type. Guns and children just do not go together."

"I do not even think that kids should have toy guns," said Mr Yates, a governor at Moor Nook primary school.

Skeets, a Westerner who was involved in the forming of the group 12 months ago emphasised that safety was paramount at all of their shows and said that it was a learning process for the youngsters:

"The children are told that what they are using could be dangerous so we teach them to use them properly and we always cordon off the area.

"We actually did a show just after Dunblane for handicapped children and just used the cap firing guns as a mark of respect," he added.

A spokesman for Lea police, who cover the Ashton area, said that there were no problems with the show going ahead:

"We have no legislation to stop something like this going ahead," he said.

Mrs Linda Young, Chair of the Ashton Association which raises funds for the school, said the issue of Dunblane was raised at a meeting before any decision was made:

"The feeling of the meeting was that it was appropriate to carry on with our plans."

The summer fair takes place on Saturday June 22 and other attractions include morris dancing, stalls and a 5-a-side football competition.

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