A Shrewsbury boxing club wanting to lease a council-owned centre has claimed it was told it cannot use it because it is considered a dangerous sport following the Dunblane shooting massacre.

Colin Hough, coach at the Shrewsbury and Severnside Amateur Boxing Club, said leaders had investigated the possibility of moving to the Sundorne Youth Centre close to the former martial arts centre.

But he said he had been told by an official at Shropshire County Council’s youth service that a policy introduced after the shooting in Scotland meant sports including boxing, kickboxing and shooting were outlawed at the premises.

However, youth service officials at Shropshire County Council said it was not a “deciding factor” in the decision not to lease them the building.

On March 13, 1996, Thomas Hamilton, shot dead 16 young children and their teacher in Dunblane Primary School’s gymnasium.

Mr Hough said he did not understand how the tragedy could impact on legitimate sports such as boxing.

He said: “The answer I got was that since Dunblane, Shropshire County Council says that nobody can go onto its premises with any weapons so they are unable to be used for boxing or kickboxing.

“What it’s got to do with the Dunblane shooting I will never know.”

Martin Stephens, principal youth officer, said the main room suggested by the boxing club was not suitable because it was a conference room and not set up for sporting activities.

He said: “The centre is due to be reconfigured in the very near future, and we are not sure exactly how the rooms will be set out, so we are unable to make any promises about the other rooms either.

“Guidelines were given by councillors following the Dunblane incident in the 1990s which meant that some activities could not be carried out at youth centres, but that is not a deciding factor in this case.”