A Wild West fan charged with illegal possession of a rifle believed to have been used by British officers fighting the Zulus in 1879 has won his case.

In a sensational twist at Bingley magistrates' Court on Wednesday, the prosecution dropped all charges against Allen Ambridge.

Mr Ambridge, 49, has appear-ed in Wild West shows at events including the Manor-lands garden party at Oxen-hope, Keighley Gala and Silsden Carnival.

Prosecutor Jane Farrar formally asked for the application to be discharged. She said although the case could have gone before a jury it was a long, involved and complicated matter in which the chances of obtaining a conviction were not good.

Defending, Keith Blackwell, said it was clear that the outcome would have been the same at Crown Court if the case had gone ahead.

Afterwards Mr Ambridge, of Gilstead, Bingley, said: "This has been going on since October - it's been a complete nightmare and I feel that I have been victimised.

"I am happy to have won my case but I am bitter about how it has been handled. I am now going to continue my appeal against the revocation of my firearms and shotgun licences. These were revoked without valid reason in July last year when I was described as being unfit to own a firearm and a danger to the public safety and peace in owning a shotgun. I firmly refute those statements as they have no grounds in reality."

When the licences were revoked, a rifle, pistol and six shotguns were taken away from Mr Ambridge.

Then in October he was charged with illegally possessing the disputed antique rifle he had bought at a Blackpool flea market for £600. The prosecution claimed the weapon was technically a firearm and Mr Ambridge was breaking the law by failing to have a proper firearms certificate.

Mr Ambridge counted the rifle - a Winchester '73 .44 calibre gun made in Connecticut in the USA in 1875 - as a prized possession. Mr Blackwell had claimed at an earlier hearing there was evidence the rifle was recovered from the battlefield at Isandlwhana in 1879, during the Zulu wars in South Africa.

Mr Blackwell also said the rifle was made the year before Custer's Last Stand in Montana, USA, and had Custer issued it to his army it may have saved him in the battle against Sitting Bull's men.

Mr Ambridge added: "I have held a firearms certificate since 1976 but my experience with firearms goes back to 1966.

"I am considering a claim for compensation for the stress and worry over the last eight months, and also for damage I believe to have been caused to the weapon due to the forensic officer's description of how he got the gun to fire again."

Mr Blackwell added after the hearing: "This is a complete vindication and I am pleased that the prosecution has seen fit to act in the way that they have today.

"The rifle is still in police possession and I will be seeking its return. Had he been convicted a lot of people who hold antique firearms would have had to look very seriously at their antiques and consider whether they should revise their position."

He said there was now an element of hysteria in the country about guns which had been growing even before the tragedy at Dunblane.

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