THE RSPCA has welcomed a crackdown on teenagers using guns, after the number of animals shot increased last year.
Home Secretary David Blunkett announced that the minimum age of unsupervised airgun use is to rise from 14 to 17.
His pledge was in response to the street shootings in Birmingham and official statistics which showed a big rise in the level of gun crime.
The RSPCA is happy at the move because the number of animals killed or maimed in gun attacks increased by 13 per cent last year.
In the North West, this included a swan killed on a pond, a cat shot in its eye and another cat shot more than 20 times at close range.
RSPCA Chief Superintendent Kevin Degenhard said: "The RSPCA has been campaigning to have the legal age raised for many years now, so We are delighted that the Government has committed to overhaul the current legislation governing their use.
"Year on year, the amount of air weapon attacks on animals rises significantly and it is time our civilized society took action against such irresponsible, destructive and cruel behaviour."
He added that it appeared youngsters were responsible for the majority of attacks because the incidents happened more frequently during school holidays.
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