DO NOT be hoodwinked by Michelle Nudd’s intelligent and robust response to the outcry of parent and youth groups opposing the Countryside Alliance’s shooting lessons at Plumpton College (The Argus, June 29).

It wants to teach children how to fire guns; justified by concerns that young people are spending too much time inside on their computers.

The real purpose of this “Young Shots” event lies on the Countryside Alliance’s website, which states it is “an Alliance project to get more young people involved to create new attitudes towards shooting”.

Yet, public opinion is informed by common sense and personal tragedy.

Recently, a four-year-old boy was shot in the face with an airgun as he walked home from school in Warwickshire.

Closer to home, police community support officers were shot at with an air rifle in Lancing (The Argus, June 21).

The most telling statistic, highlighted by The Argus on May 3 this year, is the number of people injured by firearms in Sussex rose by more than 30% over the past five years.

Family groups such as Fathers Against Guns and Mothers Against Murder concur that impressionable eight-year-olds should not be involved.

If your children participate on July 26 you will pay £20 for the privilege, but you may pay a much higher price in terms of the misery and suffering guns bring to the wider community.

David Hammond, North Court, Hassocks