HUNDREDS of firearms and thousands of bullets and shotgun rounds have been handed in as part of a police campaign.

Between November 10 and November 21, Sussex Police and Surrey Police ran a surrender during which locals were encouraged to take any unwanted weaponry to a police station to be disposed of.

In Sussex, 58 handguns, 17 rifles, 53 airguns and 104 shotguns were handed in, along with almost 1,000 shotgun cartridges and more than 4,000 bullets and other types of ammunition.

Each of them has been examined and made safe by trained firearms officers.

The surrender was launched as an opportunity for those whose licence had lapsed or who do not hold a license to dispose of their weapons and ammunition safely and without prosecution.

However, each weapon may be analysed to determine if it has been used in crime and, if it has, it will be investigated.

Chief Superintendent Paul Morrison, the head of operations command across Sussex Police and Surrey Police, said: “Although there's no suggestion that any firearms were involved in crime, all of them had the potential to be dangerous if they fell into the wrong hands.

“I am grateful to all those who handed in firearms and ammunition. They have helped us make Sussex and Surrey even safer by reducing the chance of criminals getting their hands on weapons.”

The surrender was part of a nationwide operation being co-ordinated by the National Ballistics Intelligence Service (NABIS), which analyses guns and ballistic material for police forces across the UK.

New legislation that came into effect on July 14 increased the maximum jail term for illegal gun possession from 10 years to life.

The legislation also changes the list of those who can possess firearm and ammunition and includes non firing weapons that can be made viable by people with ballistics knowledge.

Information is available at www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/12/part/8/enacted but if you are at all uncertain, contact your local firearms licensing team by calling 101 or emailing 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk.

Although the surrender has ended, anyone with a firearm who wishes to dispose of it can still call 101 or email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk and ask for the firearms licensing unit. Do not hand any such items to police officers or staff in the street.