GUN owners in County Durham are being given a week to hand in weapons that may be illegally held following a change in the law.

From tomorrow morning (Saturday, November 8) the county’s police force is staging a week-long firearms amnesty.

Firearms legislation changed recently and forces across England and Wales have been asking people to surrender unlawfully held, or unwanted, guns and ammunition to prevent them falling into the hands of criminals.

The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 introduces a five-year ban on ownership of guns and ammunition for people who are given a suspended prison sentence of three months or more.

It also introduces a new offence of possession of illegal firearms with intent to supply

A number of other forces across the country, including Cleveland, have started their amnesties.

Until midnight on Sunday, November 16, people who hand in weapons or ammunition will not face prosecution for their illegal possession.

Police recognise that many firearms may be held innocently, perhaps following the death of a relative who was the legal owner. Surrendering them avoids the risk of criminals using them and allows the police to dispose of them properly.

The surrendered weapons will be checked to see if they have been used in crime.

The amnesty only applies to possession offences and charges could be brought if a gun has been used in an offence.

People are also being encouraged to hand over any replica firearms, air weapons, ball bearing (BB) guns, imitation weapons, component parts and other ballistic items.

Assistant Chief Constable Dave Orford said; “Durham has traditionally been an area with very low levels of gun crime and the amnesty is not being held due to any recent increase in such offences.

“But with the legislation having recently changed, there was national agreement that an amnesty would be a sensible way of taking these weapons out of circulation and preventing them falling into the wrong hands.

Weapons and ammunition can be surrendered at any of County Durham and Darlington’s twelve main police stations during normal office hours.

Details can be found on the force website at www.durham.police.uk

Items cannot be handed in at the force’s headquarters at Aykley Heads, Durham City.

Anyone who needs advice on transporting their weapon or ammunition to the nearest police station should call the force on 101, the non-emergency number.