THE OWNERS of small-bore handguns in North Yorkshire have until the end of this month to surrender their weapons to police.

Under the 1997 Firearms Act all weapons of .22 calibre and below must be handed in by March 1.

Information packs have been sent to all holders of small-bore guns in North Yorkshire outlining details of the surrender.

Firearms officers plan to contact owners to make appointments to visit each to collect their handguns.

A force spokesman said there was a maximum of 200 guns to collect.

Pc Keith McDonnell, who advises North Yorkshire Police on firearms matters, explained how weapons would be collected.

"The force will organise teams, probably of two people per division, who will be responsible for visiting licensed holders in their divisions.

"We will assist them in the application process for compensation and in the collection of the handgun and ancillary equipment.

"They will be transported to Newby Wiske where they will be destroyed once the compensation claims have been settled by the Home Office."

Collecting weapons would save owners the inconvenience of transporting sometimes large amounts of additional equipment to police stations, he explained.

"The aim throughout was to assist the handgun owners to get through the unpopular piece of legislation."

He stressed that officers were providing a service and not confiscating shooters' weapons.

The Home Office says 116,000 weapons were surrendered nationally by last October's deadline for full-bore pistols and a further 26,000 small-bore weapons were handed in voluntarily.

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