LANCASHIRE police today announced that almost 500 firearms have been handed to police in the county since the national amnesty began.

During the third week, which included the Easter bank holiday, a total of 157 firearms were handed in.

These included 23 prohibited weapons comprising revolvers and rifles. The other 134 were non-prohibited weapons such as shotguns, air rifles, air pistols and imitation firearms.

This brings the total in the county so far to 474.

Also surrendered in week three were more than 2,775 pieces of ammunition and 22 other weapons such as knives.

Officers today praised the public in Lancashire for continuing to hand weapons in.

Superintendent Clive Tattum said: "It is heartening to see that people are still responding to the amnesty and bringing their weapons to police stations across the county.

"We would encourage anyone who has a weapon they wish to surrender to the police to do so before April 30 as part of this campaign to reduce gun crime on the streets of Lancashire."

The amnesty comes before a minimum five-year prison sentence for

illegal possession of prohibited firearms comes into force.