POLICE have welcomed the results of a national firearms amnesty.

Almost 200 weapons were surrendered in County Durham and Darlington during the amnesty, which ran throughout last month.

The exact number is not yet available but police said they had received about 195 fire-arms and 105 other weapons, including knives, CS gas canisters, crossbows a bow and arrow and a detonator from a mine.

They also collected 2,000 rounds of ammunition.

The area's main police stations noticed a surge in the number of weapons being handed in on Tuesday and Wednesday, as people took advantage of the last 48 hours of the amnesty.

Chief Inspector Geoff Young, of the operations division, said: "We are very pleased by the results, which once again show just how many weapons of various types are in circulation.

"While gun crime is not a major problem in our area, we cannot afford to be complacent.

"The national amnesty has been very useful both in highlighting the issue and giving gun owners a chance to hand in their arms without fear of prosecution."

The Northumbria force has collected 868 weapons and 14,242 rounds of ammunition, almost double the number of guns recovered in a similar operation in 1996.

Among the weapons were a sawn-off shotgun, a Derringer pistol and a rare German Luger. Other weapons included knives, rifles and CS sprays.

Superintendant Steve Storey, of the force's operational support unit, said: "The public's attitude has been excellent. Weapons have been handed in not only by law-abiding members of the public, but by criminals as well.

"Every weapon surrendered is one more off the streets, making the area a safer place to live and work."