THE region's largest council is backing a campaign for tighter controls on the use of air weapons.

Durham County Council's cabinet has agreed to lend its support to a call for air gun licensing by neighbouring Gateshead Council.

Gateshead cabinet member Peter Mole is urging every local authority in the country to back the campaign, launched after Felling schoolgirl Nicola Diston, 16, lost an eye after being hit by a pellet.

At present, anyone aged 14 or over can buy an air weapon, but campaigners want a licensing scheme and an age limit of 18 to stop weapons falling into the wrong hands.

Durham's legal services director, Andrew North, said that nationally, air weapons were responsible for 160 serious injuries and an average of one fatality each year.

"In Durham, the situation is similar to that in Northumbria in that over 50 per cent of incidents attended by the force's armed response vehicles involve air weapons or imitation weapons, which may also be air weapons," he said.

"In addition, approximately 30 air weapons each year are submitted to the force's operations division for examination after being misused."

Councillors heard Chief Constable Paul Garvin and police authority chairman Joe Knox also support the proposals.

Councillor Richard Langham said he had been shot at twice, including while he was driving.

"There is a weakness in the area of air weapon licensing,'' he said. "Before someone has another shot at me it has to be tightened up."