ESSENTIALLY they are toys for bigger boys. But replica guns are no fun for those looking down the barrel.

Yesterday's lengthy siege was sparked when David Roustoby showed his fake Walther PPK to his partner's 16-year-old son. Although Mr Roustoby is well within his rights to own a copy of James Bond's favourite firearm, these are anxious times. It was no great surprise the police were called.

Our sympathies lie with the North Yorkshire firearms unit. They must treat every report of a weapon being "brandished" as a potentially life-threatening incident.

After a tense five hours, Mr Roustoby gave himself up. He was fortunate to be dealing with a police team with an admirable record of restraint.

Even so, had he waved his pretend PPK about, those officers would have had to make a split second decision about the risk he posed. It would have taken only one shot to end his life and ruin that of the police officer who discharged it.

Today armed officers in the Metropolitan force were threatening to down guns in support of colleagues involved in the fatal shooting of a man who was carrying a table leg.

If police can mistake a piece of wood for a gun, how can they possibly be expected to distinguish between an accurate replica firearm and a real one?

It would be safer for everyone if these pointless, dangerous "toys" were off the streets.

Updated: 09:18 Wednesday, November 03, 2004