FELIX Pinney was the toast of Purbeck Shooting School after coming third in his first junior international tournament in Holland.

The 15-year-old, who only started clay shooting in January, has now been selected to join the British Shooting Talent Pathway programme.

He is coached by Graham Brown at the school near Wareham and is a product of their Young Guns programme.

Felix and his club-mates competed in front of some of the world’s leading sporting shots in a two-day event in the Netherlands.

And Felix held his nerve and dropped only two clays in the shoot-off to earn a third place in the Junior Master of Clays.

He also finished a creditable joint 11th in his section in the Grand Prix where juniors shoot the same layouts as adults.

Felix shared his gun with fellow Purbeck Shooting School member Mark Noble after his had developed a fault.

The competition took place at Dourhaut Mees and attracted 246 shots from 16 countries.

Felix said: “I owe a lot to Graham and the Purbeck Shooting School. The shooting opportunities there are outstanding and the dedication of his team is amazing.”

One of the aims of Purbeck Shooting School is to promote shooting for young people in the south west.

Coach Brown is an accomplished shot himself and dedicates much of his talent and time to the Young Guns.

He said he had great hopes for Felix and the other Young Guns. Brown hopes the school will become the South of England centre of excellence for shooting with an academy to help and promote the sport.