Essex Police today claimed the ongoing success of their firearms amnesty shows the people of the county will not tolerate gun crime.

So far, 488 weapons and 8,646 rounds of ammunition have been handed into the county's police stations since the amnesty began three weeks ago. It ends on April 30.

Chief Supt Ian Brown, head of the Essex Police Mobile Support Division, said: "The volume of surrendered weapons shows the overwhelming support this campaign has from the public.

"Every weapon handed in is a weapon out of harm's reach."

Last week, 182 weapons were surrendered in Essex, including a crossbow handed in at Basildon.

Published Friday, April 18, 2003

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