A MONTH-LONG nationwide guns amnesty has been launched by the Government in a bid to cut back on soaring firearms crime.

From March 31 to April 30 inclusive, people holding illicit firearms and ammunition can hand them over to police without facing prosecution for possession of an illegal weapon.

The move comes ahead of the introduction of tough new sentences for illegal possession of prohibited firearms, which will see a minimum five-year sentence for those convicted.

The last national firearms amnesty in 1996, following the massacre of schoolchildren at Dunblane, saw 23,000 firearms and 700,000 rounds of ammunition surrendered. An amnesty in 1988, after the Hungerford shootings, saw 48,000 firearms and 1.7million rounds of ammunition handed in.

As well as prohibited, unlicensed and unwanted firearms, the police are now encouraging people to hand in air weapons and imitation guns. The Government is to bring in new restrictions on carrying imitations or air weapons in a public place.

Launching the initiative, Home Office minister Bob Ainsworth said, "This amnesty provides an opportunity for people to get rid of an illegal weapon.

"The safety of the public and police officers is our first priority. Taking guns off our streets will save lives and cut crime. Every weapon that is given up is a weapon that cannot be used in crime and violence."

"Perhaps the most disturbing element of changing gun use is the casual carrying of firearms, predominantly by young people. We need to act now to show that this is unacceptable and to stop the development of a 'gun culture,' where firearms are treated as fashion accessories."