The parents of a North Yorkshire Special Constable gunned down by terrorists say police officers should be routinely armed.

Brian and Margaret Goodman, whose son Glenn was killed on the A64 at Tadcaster by an IRA gunman in June 1992 have joined a campaign to arm officers on patrol. His patrol partner PC Sandy Kelly was badly injured.

The Goodman family have lined-up with the police officers' organisation Protect the Protectors which is writing to every chief constable and the Police Federation to press for a ballot of officers on the guns issue.

Mr Goodman said the police were "inadequately protected" and added: "Had our son and PC Kelly been issued with more than a small wooden truncheon to protect themselves against terrorists armed with Kalashnikov rifles they may have had a chance to defend themselves.

"The majority of officers still face the threat that our son did.

"The only slight improvement is the introduction of the new baton and snap-on handcuffs."

"These are no deterrent against guns."