Police are urging people to help make Cheshire even safer by handing in unwanted firearms or ammunition.

It can often be the case that some people have a firearm long-forgotten and gathering dust in a loft or shed, 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, Cheshire Police say. 

A national firearms surrender, running from November 13 to 26, gives people the chance to safely dispose of firearms or ammunition, whether held lawfully or unlawfully, without the risk of being prosecuted for illegally possessing a firearm.

Inspector Dave Price of Cheshire Police 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 handover any unwanted firearms, whether that’s an illegal firearm that they have in their possession, a licenced firearm that they no longer used 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.”

Throughout the two week surrender members of the public will be able to hand in firearms or ammunition at any of the following police helpdesks:

Chester Police station, Blacon Road, Chester Crewe Police Station, Civic Centre, Crewe Macclesfield Police station, Brunswick Street, Macclesfield Northwich Police station, Chesterway, Northwich Warrington Police Station, Arpley Street, Warrington Widnes Police Station, Gerrard Street, Widnes

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. 

Anyone concerned about illegal weapons in their local community is urged to contact Cheshire Police on 101, alternatively information can be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.