Residents in Hitchin and across Hertfordshire are being encouraged to surrender certain blank-firing firearms as part of a national weapons amnesty running throughout February.

The four-week amnesty, taking place from Monday 2 February to Friday 27 February, aims to prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands while ensuring owners who may not realise the law has changed can hand them in without facing prosecution.

Hertfordshire Constabulary is asking anyone in possession of a Bruni manufactured Top-Venting Blank-Firing (TVBF) firearm to contact police and arrange an appointment to surrender it at either Hatfield or Stevenage police stations, both accessible for residents in and around Hitchin.

Previously, many of these blank-firing handguns could be legally owned without a firearms certificate. However, police say it has since been discovered that many can be easily converted into functioning firearms, making them illegal to possess even if no modification has taken place.

During the amnesty period, owners can hand in Bruni-manufactured TVBF firearms without fear of prosecution, provided the weapons have not been altered.

Residents who may still hold Turkish-manufactured TVBF handguns, which were subject to a previous amnesty last year, are also being advised to take this opportunity to surrender them.

Superintendent Clare Smith, who is leading the campaign in Hertfordshire, said: "Serious firearms incidents are rare in Hertfordshire, but regular weapons amnesties are part of our continuing efforts to reduce violent crime in the county and nationally.

"While we do not anticipate that there will be many of these kinds of firearms in the county, they need to be removed from circulation to prevent them falling into the hands of criminals and being converted into a deadly weapon."

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Anyone wishing to surrender a firearm should call 101, quoting Operation Pivot, to arrange an appointment.

Police also remind residents that if they suspect someone is involved with illegal firearms, they should contact police via 101 or report anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Further details about the amnesty are available via the National Crime Agency website.

Residents are reminded not to take firearms directly to police stations without arranging an appointment first.