So, another firearms amnesty. I am appalled that two youngsters enjoying an evening out in Manchester should have been killed by gunfire from gangs in the area.

It is, however, important to observe, according to Home Office figures, the destruction of the sport of 160,000 people by removal of their handguns has caused the danger to the public to increase each subsequent year.

After all, Nanny has taken great pains to tell us it is the object, not the user, that is the problem - and Nanny is never wrong.

The other slight problem with amnesties is that, while the general public will happily give up the old airguns they might have around (possibly having some considerable collector's value), criminals will just chuckle and keep hold of their weapons.

This amnesty is merely a cynical public relations exercise designed to distract public awareness from the fact that a sizeable portion of some of our cities are out of the control of the police, whose powers to deal with this type of gang behaviour have been steadily eroded by misguided legislation.

-Chris Reader, vice chairman, Southdowns Rifle and Pistol Club