Killer of three was member of gun club

THE debate over tightening Britain’s gun laws is set to intensify after it emerged a man who shot himself after killing three women on New Year’s Day was a licensed holder of firearms.

Police said these were for three shotguns and three “section one” firearms, a category requiring greater authorisation than a shotgun licence.

The body of the man, named locally as taxi driver Michael Atherton, and those of the three women were found in “close proximity” downstairs in a semi-detached house in Greenside Avenue, Horden, Durham, after police were alerted to shots fired shortly before 11.45pm on Sunday.