POLICE have called for a crackdown on the improper use of pellet-firing and replica guns in the fear that a tragedy could occur.

Allowing youngsters to carry replica firearms in the streets has been condemned by the Assistant Chief Constable of North Yorkshire, Peter Bagshaw, following an increase in calls from worried members of the public.

Armed police have been deployed to areas throughout the county in recent weeks following reports of youngsters brandishing firearms.

On nearly all occasions the guns have turned out to be air weapons, ball bearing (BB) guns or replicas.

Mr Bagshaw said he has had to authorise officers to be armed almost on a daily basis.

He said: "Every reported firearms incident must be taken seriously and I have a duty of responsibility to protect my officers and the public.

"Every weapon being carried in these kind of incidents will be considered to be lethal until proven otherwise.

"However, I have genuine concerns that when police officers armed with semi-automatic weapons are facing up to young people 'armed' with toy guns, there is always the potential for tragedy. Our officers are highly trained and highly responsible, but we all know that on the spur of the moment, mistakes can happen.

"If an officer feels that someone's life is being threatened, then a shot could be fired."

This week, armed officers were deployed to Harrogate after a member of the public reported a man pointing a gun from a moving vehicle.

The "gunman" was found to be a ten-year-old boy armed with a BB gun and the car was being driven by his mother.

Forty similar gun incidents were reported last month, including:

* A five-year-old girl in Scarborough struck in the face from a pellet fired from a BB gun;

* A youth in York deliberately firing a BB gun at a bus;

* A youth in Ripon shot in the back with a BB gun.

Mr Bagshaw said: "There is no legislation stopping people having these types of guns and so what I am looking for is some responsibility when using them.

"If youngsters carry them in a public area then they are asking for trouble."