Police are asking residents to surrender guns as part of a campaign to keep communities safe.

The blitz gives people the chance to hand in unwanted firearms or ammunition at Macclesfield Police Station, whether they are held legally or illegally, without the fear of being prosecuted.

Officers from Cheshire Police are running the appeal as part of a national firearms campaign.

They say it can often be the case that some people have a firearm they have forgotten about, while others don’t realise the firearm they have needs to be legally registered with police.

Others are acquired illegally and distributed by criminal networks to harm, threaten and intimidate.

Inspector Dave Price said: “Gun crime in Cheshire is low and that’s the way we want to keep it, which is why I would urge people to use this surrender as an opportunity to hand over any unwanted firearms, whether that’s an illegal firearm that they have in their possession, a licenced firearm that they no longer use or a wartime family relic that they don’t know what to do with.

“By handing any unwanted firearms over to us we can ensure that they are disposed of safely and don’t get into the wrong hands.”

The surrender runs to November 26.

Throughout the two-week surrender, members of the public will be able to hand in firearms or ammunition at Macclesfield and other police stations.

All the weapons handed to officers will be examined to ensure that they have not been used in any criminal offences, before being deactivated and destroyed.

A firearms surrender - as opposed to a firearms amnesty - means that people can hand in guns they should not have without being prosecuted for firearms possession.

The surrender does not give an amnesty for the life of the weapon.

Previous offences linked to the firearm will be investigated.

During the surrender officers want people to hand in illegally-held guns and ammunition, imitation firearms and air guns used for criminal purposes and other unwanted guns and ammunition including air guns and imitations.

Anyone concerned about illegal weapons in their community is urged to contact Cheshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on anonymously on 0800 555 111.