Great Britain’s medal hopes for the 2012 Olympic Games in London were bolstered yesterday when pistol shooters were given special permission to practise on the mainland for the first time since the crackdown on handguns that followed the Dunblane massacre in 1996.

Competitors have been forced to train in countries such as Switzerland and Northern Ireland since handguns were banned in response to the murder of 16 schoolchildren at Dunblane Primary School. The ban led to a decline in the sport in this country, with Britain failing to send a shooter to pistol events since Carol Page competed at the Atlanta Games in 1996, despite the sport having been one of Britain’s strengths in previous years. No British shooters will compete in the pistol events in Beijing this summer.

Gerry Sutcliffe, the Sports Minister, said that a “small squad of elite GB Olympic pistol shooters” would be allowed to train after Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, agreed to use special powers. Scottish ministers have agreed to use similar powers.

The British Olympic Association (BOA) last night welcomed the move. A spokesman said: “The BOA has been working on a campaign to allow pistol shooters to train on British soil for many years now and we’re delighted that the British Government has responded positively.”

The Government had previously granted dispensation for handguns during the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. Competitors were escorted from Heathrow under armed guard and an armoured vehicle transported their guns to the shooting arena, where spectators watched from behind screens and competitors were watched by armed officers.

Olympic inspectors said yesterday that Beijing “looked ready” for the Games next month despite lingering concerns about air pollution and restrictions on foreign journalists. The IOC hailed the preparations as “a gold standard for the future”, setting the bar high for London 2012 organisers.

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