Weapons surrendered during gun amnesty

Twenty-five guns were handed to police during a national amnesty.

The weapons were all blank firing guns which could easily be converted to shoot live rounds – the focus of the amnesty as they are popular with criminals.

It concentrated on five types of Bruni-manufactured top-venting blank firers (TVBFs) that were considered readily convertible into lethal barrelled weapons.

Detective Chief Inspector Michael Wilding of Lincolnshire Police said: "These 25 surrendered firearms have been removed from the public domain which is a positive step in keeping people safe. 

“While Bruni blank firers may have been purchased in good faith and with no criminal intent, we now know that these weapons have the potential to be converted into lethal weapons should they fall into the wrong hands. 

“The amnesty was about taking illegal firearms off the streets as well as preventing them being used in criminal activity in the future."

Lincolnshire joined police forces across the country in this national amnesty, contributing towards the hundreds of weapons surrendered. The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) has confirmed 590 weapons surrendered within the first two weeks of February. The final national figure is still being collated.

The weapons targeted were found by the National Crime Agency (NCA) to be easily turned into viable firearms using common household tools. As a result, they are now illegal to possess.