MEMBERS of the public are being asked to hand in any illegally held or unwanted guns and ammunition to police during a firearms surrender fortnight.

North Yorkshire Police is holding the amnesty from Saturday, November 1 to Sunday, November 16, and anyone will be able to drop off firearms at police stations across the county.

Illegal weapons include replica firearms, air weapons, BB guns, imitation firearms, antique weapons, component parts and ammunition.

Firearms legislation has changed recently and the police are asking people to surrender unlawfully held or unwanted guns and ammunition to help avoid them getting into the wrong hands.

Many firearms may be held in innocence and ignorance of their illegality, or may be overlooked or forgotten in people’s homes.

Under previous legislation, if you were given a custodial prison sentenced of three months or more, you were prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. The new law extends this prohibition to people who are given suspended prison sentences of three months or more. It also now applies to antique firearms.

Weapons can be handed in at the following police stations: York (Fulford Road), Selby, Tadcaster, Harrogate (Beckwith Head Road), Skipton, Ripon, Knaresborough, Northallerton, Thirsk, Bedale, Catterick Garrison, Stokesley, Richmond, Scarborough, Eastfield, Filey, Whitby, Malton and Pickering.