PUPILS at Milverton School were treated to an assembly with a difference when Olympic medallist Ed Ling paid a visit.

He won Bronze at the Rio Olympics this summer in the discipline of trap shooting. To the children’s delight, Ed showed them the shotgun he used in Rio.

He also showed them the clays used and his medal, which the children agreed was much heavier than it looks.

Ed explained how each competitor faces clay targets that are flung into the air at random angles and move at 75mph, so shooters have to have quick reflexes.

Ed said he grew up on a local farm, where from the age of 12 he was taught to shoot by his father. It is now a family affair, with Ed’s wife Abbey being five times British Champion, among other successes, and his younger brother, Theo, junior European champion.

Ed hopes they will all make it to Tokyo 2020.

The children enjoyed learning about a different kind of sport and were in awe seeing an Olympic medallist in the flesh.

The school thanks Ed for visiting and planting seeds in the children’s minds that with dedication and lots of hard work they could become Olympic champions too.