A two week-long firearms amnesty launched today across Greater Manchester, designed to take lethal weapons off the streets and ultimately save lives. The National Firearm Surrender campaign, co-ordinated by the National Ballistics Intelligence Service, runs until May 29 within every police force in the UK, including Greater Manchester Police.
Officers are urging the public to hand over firearms during the period of the fortnight-long surrender. The surrender isn't just aimed at criminals. It's also aimed at collectors, licence holders or anyone who has inherited a firearm.
Greater Manchester Police said many firearms are held in 'innocence and ignorance of their illegality' - or may be have been forgotten inside people's homes. But the force said firearms can be converted into potentially deadly weapons.
