The Royal Berkshire Shooting School Group has been sold for a figure believed to be £8 million.

The school, which includes a clothing company for whom Kate Middleton once worked, has been bought by the ex-manager of Chilean mining giant Antofagasta.

Alex Newman, who used to run Antofagasta's corporate finance department, has acquired the business from Bryan Richmond- Dodd, the property investor.

Richmond-Dodd and other shareholders last year appointed advisers Cavendish Corporate Finance to find a buyer for the company, which runs the school on a 75-acre freehold site.

Cavendish advised on the sale of the Shooting School Group including the Really Wild Clothing Company.

The shooting school was established in 1991 and since that time has been run by co-founder Dylan Williams supported by London based property entrepreneur Richmond-Dodd.

The grounds boast over 150 traps replicating high pheasants, driven grouse and coveys of partridges, and is unique in employing its own eight full-time professional instructors.

The Really Wild Clothing Company was created by Natalie Lake in 2002 to appeal to women who enjoy country pursuits and want to be stylish yet practical.

The Group attracted interest from UK entrepreneurs with sporting interests, but notably significant overseas buyer interest was shown from parties who recognised the capacity to extend the brand to other areas of country pursuits and to overseas markets.

Newman was approached by Cavendish’s M&A International Alliance office in Chile, IB Partners SA, who immediately saw the attraction of the business and the skills of the team.  Newman plans to increase investment in RBSS and seek complimentary acquisitions.

Williams and Lake will both be staying with the new owner.

Williams commented: “The team at Cavendish demonstrated their international reach and their tenacity to stick with the deal until it closed.  They found the ideal owner in Alex and we are very excited at the new opportunities that we can now develop."