This is how people in Wakefield can surrender their firearms to police without facing prosecution

People in the Wakefield district are being asked to hand in their firearms to police as part of a national firearms surrender.

The campaign urges people to hand in their unwanted guns and ammunition without fear of prosecution.

Weapons can be left anonymously at a number of stations across West Yorkshire.

It comes after a gunshot was reported on Bentley Road, in Lupset, earlier this week. The two week surrender will run from Saturday, July 20 to Sunday August 4.

As well as handing over their weapons, the public are being urged to report any information about guns they know are being kept.

Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Mark Ridley of West Yorkshire Police said: “Many people still have illegal firearms in their house. They may not understand that holding such a weapon is illegal or they may have overlooked an antique gun gathering dust in the loft.

“But it is important that in the fight against gun crime we look to get as many illegal guns as we can off the streets. Surrendering illegally held firearms avoids the risk of them becoming involved in criminality.

“Likewise there may be people who know a loved and for some reason has a gun in the house and they therefore, quite understandably, fear for their safety and that of others in the property.

“I am appealing directly to those family members and members of the community who are aware of people who have illegally held guns to either get them to surrender the weapons or to contact Crimestoppers in confidence with any information.

“What this two week surrender allows is for people to hand in the firearms without any fear of prosecution for possessing the gun."

Weapons can be left at a number of stations, including Wakefield District Headquarters, on Havertop Lane, Normanton,and Dewsbury Police Station, Aldams Road, WF12 8AR

For more information on the scheme or opening hours for the stations, visit the West Yorkshire Police website.