Glen Minikin Expressman Paul Jeeves with the Panther crossbow

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We were able to visit a shop yards from one of Britain's busiest city centre high streets and buy a high-velocity 175lb Panther crossbow which boasts the promise "Built for power". The terrifying weapon, bought in Leeds, is capable of hitting a target with its aluminium-pointed bolts at 500 yards. Like many other brands it comes with a telescopic sight to make aiming easier and is designed to be as straightforward as possible to shoot. Experts say they are more powerful than some air rifles that have to be licensed.

GETTY STOCK The use of crossbows for hunting is banned in the UK

With the sharp rise of violent crime across the country, it is essential that the Government gets to grip with the risks weapons pose Rachael Maskell MP

MPs have backed the Daily Express campaign and urged the Government to ban the deadly "sporting devices" saying there was "no reason" for them to be on sale to the general public. Last week Rachael Maskell, 45, MP for York Central, penned a letter to the new home secretary Sajid Javid urging tough rules be introduced to stop their easy availability. Buyers need only be aged 18 or over to get one of the weapons and users only break the law if they use them outside a club or off private land. However, anyone under 18 with access to a credit or debit card can buy the weapons online and have a crossbow delivered within 24 hours.

Glen Minikin Paul Jeeves buys a high-velocity 175lb Panther crossbow

Shockingly, in a search for "crossbows", the first working items displayed are smaller and sold as children's toys. Ms Maskell said: "I am hugely concerned about the availability of certain weapons, including airguns and crossbows, which are not subject to the same restrictions as other weapons. "With the sharp rise of violent crime across the country, it is essential that the Government gets to grip with the risks weapons pose and seeks to place tight restrictions around these and help keep the public safe. Many of these weapons are used to injure people and animals and it is high time some regulation was introduced. "There is also an issue with the weapons being able to be left around the home, potentially for children or young people to find. "I am continuing a dialogue with the Home Office and will be raising further concerns about crossbows with them." The MP told how constituents had raised concerns with her about a man with mental health problems who repeatedly fired his crossbow inside his home. She said: "It is a major concern to me that this man was able to buy himself a crossbow when he clearly was an unsuitable owner. Yet no checks were made." Helen Goodman, MP for Bishop Auckland, and Jenny Chapman, MP for Darlington, have also called for a Government crackdown. Ms Goodman 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. "I was troubled to discover the ease in which anybody over 18 can purchase a crossbow in England and fully support Helen's call for the banning of such weapons. "Currently, you do not require a licence or registration to own a crossbow, and armed with the internet and a credit card it is possible to have one delivered with very few questions asked." One of Britain's biggest archery retailers is Merlin Archery which has a store in Bishop Auckland alongside a website which states: "On some of the crossbows, the power is so great that cocking the string should be an Olympic event." It also boasts of its pistol crossbows: "Small and cheap, but they pack a punch. These are age restricted (18 years or older) and must be used with extreme caution! Not suitable for children. Not suitable for some adults, come to think of it. But if used responsibly they are great fun." Oliver Clayton-Smith, from Merlin Archery, said: "There's no denying they are dangerous. There's an age restriction which helps a little but it's difficult because they are classed as sporting goods. "In theory, there's no difference between the bow and a crossbow, the main difference being a crossbow is much easier to use because it has a sight and you pull a trigger."

GETTY Crossbows may be far more powerful than an air rifle

Mr Clayton-Smith insisted staff do everything they can to stop crossbows falling into the wrong hands but they have limited powers and often rely on their discretion. He said: "The law is fairly lax because this is sporting equipment. "We check their driving licence or passport and if someone cannot produce that we don't sell them. "The same kind of process happens online. If someone wants an age-related product we send them an email and ask for a copy of their ID. Occasionally people are turned away." A Home Office spokeswoman said: "Crossbows are subject to strict controls and retailers are banned from selling them to a person under the age of 18. "We keep legislation under review and will consider the risk such weapons pose to public safety and if further measures are needed. "Carrying a crossbow in public can be classed as an offence of carrying an offensive weapon, if the police consider there is intent to use the crossbow to cause injury."

Glen Minikin Paul Jeeves is targeting the lack of legislation

To my horror I was able to buy an ultra-powerful deadly weapon on one of Britain's busiest shopping streets in just five minutes. I nervously entered the store in Leeds city centre and was taken aback by the array of weapons including samurai swords, machetes and axes on unguarded display alongside air pistols, rifles and BB guns. "I'm looking for a crossbow," I told the assistant who, without questioning, told me they had both a pistolstyle and a rifle-style in stock. Removing the pistol-style model from a hanging display, he told me it had a firing range that would hit a target "two full-size football pitch lengths away". It cost £39. "What about something a bit bigger?" I asked. Instantly a deadly Panther 175lb crossbow was placed on the counter. The box promised it was "built for power" and boasted that the weapon "combines tactical style with high performance". "This has a range of around 500 yards," revealed the assistant. "It's an incredible piece of kit. It takes about 15 minutes to put together. It is £139 and comes with four 16-inch bolts." I was shown how its red dot sight provided sniper-style accuracy. I volunteered that I was buying it as a present, wondering if they would need to know about the recipient. They didn't. "Brilliant, I'll take it," I said. I had taken my passport but I was not asked for any ID nor told to complete any records. It had taken little more than five minutes. There is no suggestion the store had broken the law.

DYSON The use of crossbows for hunting is banned in the UK, says David Dyson

COMMENT - David Dyson, Firearms expert For many centuries crossbows have been used in warfare. There was no great skill or training required to use one, unlike the long bow, and the capability of some of the most powerful medieval weapons to penetrate armour and kill at ranges of up to 200 yards made them a formidable weapon. As firearms became more efficient the use of crossbows in battle declined from the 16th century onwards. But crossbows are still used for hunting. Although the use of crossbows for hunting is banned in the UK, there is a significant body of hunters, particularly in the US and Canada who use them for shooting deer and even bears - which gives an idea of how powerful they are. The Crossbows Act 1987 makes it illegal for under-18s to buy a crossbow in the UK, but there are no other checks on buyers.