MERSEYSIDE Police have welcomed the announcement that a national firearms amnesty will come into effect from Monday, June 3 to Sunday, June 30, inclusively.

A spokesman for the force said: "We feel that the amnesty will assist in our determination to reduce the number of firearms available for criminal use."

The announcement follows a number of significant firearms seizures by police officers in the Merseyside area.

The police spokesman added: "The amnesty is an opportunity for people who have unlicensed guns to surrender them without fear of penalty. For reasons of safety, guns will be handed over the counter at a police station, where they will be made safe by trained police officers. The amnesty also covers any firearms ammunition and self-defence sprays such as CS sprays.

DI Jon Dawson of St Helens police added: " Should people have weapons in their homes which are family heirlooms, or even have the appearance of a firearm, they are still encouraged to hand them in, because should the weapons fall into the wrong hands they could be used for criminal purposes.

"Under the amnesty illegally held firearms can be handed into the police without prosecution, provided they have not been used in a crime."

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