The boss of a catapult shooting club is inviting teen tearaways to hand in their “homemade” weapons and instead learn to use the device responsibly.

Lee Harrison, 46, started the West Kent Catapult Club last year to create a legitimate place for target shooting as a sport.

But the electrician, from Yalding, now fears that youngsters misusing slingshots and similar devices could ruin it for him and other responsible shooters.

A spike in cruel attacks on animals across Kent has reignited calls in Parliament to ban the public use and underage sale of catapults.

Among the most unsavoury incidents was a 16-year-old who shot dead a seagull and then held it up “as a trophy” while a friend filmed.

Lee first started shooting responsibly as a sport at the age of fourteen after his grandmother gave him his first slingshot and believes it an be a tool for good if kids are given the right education.

Back then, he said, they were homemade toys used for fun, not for hurting animals.

“We were shooting at cans or trees,” he told KentOnline. “We’d never dream of killing anything.

“But now it’s different, kids are showing off on TikTok, killing birds or even farm animals just to get likes.”

He thinks this new trend has given the sport a bad name and has prompted people to rush to conclusions.

Lee added: “People see the videos online and straight away say catapults should be banned.

“But for us it’s a sport — it takes focus, discipline and a lot of skill.”

The West Kent Catapult Club meets every Sunday in woodland near Matfield, where members practise target shooting and take part in national competitions.

There is a track around the place and they accumulate points when they hit metal discs.

Some targets are fixed high in the trees, others hidden down the valley about 30 metres away, making them hard to hit.

In a bid to improve the catapult’s reputation, Lee has created a special programme and contacted Kent Police and youth workers to reach out to children who have been caught misusing catapults.

“We go into town centres with youth workers and police community support officers and invite people because the catapults they use are very different… they’re using nuts and bolts, stones, 16mm lumps of lead,” he said.

“If kids hand in the homemade catapults, we invite them to the club to try proper shooting with safety glasses and clay ammo that breaks on impact.”

Read more: ‘It’s just the tip of the iceberg’: Kent has country’s highest number of weapon attacks on animals

He hopes giving them a chance to compete will change their behaviour.

“We want to show them it’s more rewarding to win a trophy than to shoot a seagull or a baby cow in the eye,” he added.

“They get to win medals instead of having a dead bird as a trophy.”

And Lee said he’s already seen firsthand the difference it can make.

One boy in care was referred to him by a carer who feared he was “going down the wrong path”.

After joining the club, Lee says ther boy started spending his Sundays outdoors, learning to focus and compete instead of causing trouble.

“Coming here gave him something positive to focus on,” Lee added.

“He had people around him, a bit of guidance, and he started to feel like part of something.

“That’s what this club is about — giving kids a chance to belong.”

Read more: Catapult attacks on animals a ‘new kind of pandemic’ - but is weapon ban the answer?

Sergeant Ian Loader, from Kent Police, said officers have been working closely with the club to prevent the misuse of catapults.

He added: “Our constables and PCSOs have been taking proactive steps to tackle the misuse of catapults, whether to harm people, wildlife, or cause criminal damage, and in Tunbridge Wells we’ve been encouraged by a recent 20 per cent reduction in reports of nuisance incidents.

“While it is not currently illegal to possess a catapult, officers will not hesitate to seize and destroy one if they suspect it is being used for criminal or antisocial behaviour.

“It is also important that young people are discouraged from carrying these weapons in public in the first place, which is why we have been working with the West Kent Catapult Club, which promotes safe and responsible use of catapults as a sport.”

Such is the success of the club officers are planning to invite some of those previously involved in the criminal use of catapults to attend the club, giving them a chance to engage with like-minded individuals, take part in competitions, and learn to shoot targets safely on private land.

They’ve also applied for a small amount of funding to help the club grow and purchase equipment for future engagement sessions.

Meanwhile, Lee said he is passionate about changing public attitudes towards catapults.

“I’ve met my best friends through this,” he added. “It’s made my life so much better, and I just want people to see that good things can come from it too.

“It’s not about banning catapults. It’s about learning to use them the right way.”

Families or carers interested in supervised sessions can contact the West Kent Catapult Club via its Facebook page.