Deadly crossbows are being sold in shops and online without the need to obtain a licence or undergo background checks.

The easy access has led MPs to urge the Government to ban the weapons or heavily restrict their sale.

Available for less than £100 on the internet – and for as little as £25 for a ‘pistol’ version – the weapons fire lethal aluminium bolts at high speed.

Deadly crossbows are being sold in shops and online without the need to obtain a licence or undergo background checks

The only legal restriction on sale is that they cannot be bought by under-18s.

It is also against the law to hunt with a crossbow, meaning that use is limited to target practice at home and archery clubs.

But there have been murders involving the weapons and numerous cases of thugs firing crossbows at helpless animals.

Following an investigation by the Northern Echo newspaper on the sale of the weapons, Helen Goodman, Labour MP for Bishop Auckland, said: ‘These are seriously dangerous weapons that have no reason to be on sale to the general public.

‘In 1997 the Labour government did the right thing and banned the sale of handguns following the tragedy of the Dunblane massacre.

'The current government needs to take this even further and ban the sale of crossbows entirely before we have another needless tragedy on our hands.’

Darlington Labour MP Jenny Chapman added: ‘Armed with the internet and a credit card it is possible to have one delivered to your front door in a matter of days, with very few questions asked.’

Rachael Maskell, York’s Labour MP, has written to the Home Office calling for ‘tight restrictions’.

She said: ‘With the sharp rise of violent crime … it is essential the Government gets to grip with the risks weapons pose.’

Four months ago Anthony Lawrence, 56, killed neighbour Shane Gilmer, 30, with a crossbow and injured his pregnant girlfriend Laura Sugden, 27, near Driffield, East Yorkshire.

Lawrence went on the run and was found dead two days later.

In 2010 self-styled ‘crossbow cannibal’ Stephen Griffiths used one to murder one of three prostitute victims in Bradford.

A vast range of crossbows are available, costing up to £2,000.

Websites ask the buyer for credit card details and personal details such as name and address. Suppliers must then verify that the buyer is over 18.

A Home Office spokesman said: ‘Crossbows are subject to strict controls… We keep legislation under review and will consider the risk such weapons pose to public safety and if further measures are needed.’