Leicestershire Police launches first firearms amnesty in decade Published duration 21 September 2013

image caption Leicestershire Police said there had only been one death from a firearm this year

Leicestershire Police has launched its first firearms amnesty in 10 years.

The force is asking for people to surrender unlawfully held guns and ammunition to help avoid them "getting into the wrong hands".

Officers said many firearms were held in innocence and ignorance of their illegality or were overlooked and forgotten in people's homes.

Ch Insp Chris Brown said there had only been one death this year from a firearm but it was still "one death too many".

"We want as many weapons off the street as possible and would encourage people to hand them in," he said.

"It has been 10 years since we have run a firearms amnesty and it is really to give people who may have illegal firearms in their homes an opportunity to safely bring them in to police without fear of prosecution."

Collection points will be placed at police stations across Leicestershire. The amnesty runs until 6 October.