THE owner of the Purbeck Shooting School says he ‘will not quit until his last breath’ after losing an appeal against a council enforcement notice over noise which could result in the club’s closure.

Graham Brown, who runs the school based on Puddletown Road in Wareham, says that he has complied with Purbeck District Council over the past 20 years.

However, following an investigation by a government planning inspector, council officials are continuing to uphold the notice, citing the gunfire as exceeding a 55db level which was affecting residents within one kilometre of the site.

Mr Brown says that he will be taking the appeal to the High Court in London, as it’s not just about him but the people of Dorset and the shooting community, who use the school’s facilities.

“There’s also 14,000 licence holders in Dorset that need to be shown how to use a gun safely and there is nowhere else in the area where they can go.

“We have to fight on because the area needs this, we generate a lot of money for the Purbeck area and we generate a tremendous amount of money for the community and charities.

“I have made too many personal sacrifices over the past 20 years for this not to work.”

Lionel Fynn, the solicitor acting on behalf of Mr Brown, from Horsey Lightly Fynn, said: “This was a very unsympathetic decision which paid no attention to the 19 years the School has been there doing the same thing for its numerous supporters.

“I am delighted that counsel has agreed the decision is wrong and should be challenged in the High Court.”

The solicitor for Purbeck District Council said: “The Council has received formal notification that Mr Brown is seeking to challenge the planning inspector’s decision in the High Court.

“This will be a matter between Mr Brown and the Secretary of State, so Purbeck District Council would be unlikely to take an active role in the court proceedings.”