There were 81 homicides involving firearms in the year to March 2003

The Home Office said the figures showed "a dramatic slowdown" compared to a 34% increase the previous year.

But the figures also pointed to a 46% rise in the use of imitation firearms in recorded crime, with 1,815 offences.

Meanwhile, the Home Office announced that from now on offenders in possession of an illegal firearm would get a mandatory five-year jail term.

And from Tuesday having an air weapon or imitation firearm in a public place became illegal and selling high-powered air cartridge weapons was banned, under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003.

There were 10,248 gun crimes - 0.41% of all crime - in the year to March 2003.

Anyone flouting our gun laws will face a lengthy time in prison Home Office Minister, Hazel Blears

But only 9% resulted in injury.

There were 81 homicides involving firearms compared with 97 the year before.

The number of firearm robberies dropped by 13%.

And the use of handguns to commit a crime dropped by 6% or 5,549 offences.

Two out of every three gun crimes not involving air weapons were in London, Greater Manchester or the West Midlands.

Home Office Minister, Hazel Blears, said: "We are making significant progress in the fight against gun crime."

Tough minimum sentences will have little effect on gun crime Nacro chief executive Paul Cavadino

The new laws and mandatory sentences would "deter offenders and punish the perpetrators", she added.

"We are determined to drive down gun crime and this sends out a tough message that anyone flouting our gun laws will face a lengthy time in prison."

But chief executive of crime reduction charity Nacro, Paul Cavadino, said: "Tough minimum sentences will have little effect on gun crime.

"We will only tackle it effectively by reducing the supply of illegal weapons and combating the macho glamorised gun culture that attracts young people to firearms.

"In some areas campaigns on these lines by communities, the police and other local agencies are beginning to make an impact and have started to produce a reduction in gun crime in the past few months."

The misery and terror gun crime brings to families and communities means tackling it remains a high priority for the police service Alan Green Association of Chief Police Officers

Alan Green, of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said: "The development of a major role for our communities in supporting police-led operations and other preventative work, moving young people away from the 'gun culture', is essential if long-term harm reduction from gun crime is to be achieved."