Real and replica guns can be handed in to police

Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire and Cheshire police forces are all taking part in the first national gun amnesty for seven years.

In Greater Manchester, boxing promoter Frank Warren is offering boxing tickets in exchange for guns.

The move is ahead of the introduction of new gun laws, which will include a five-year minimum sentence for illegal possession of a prohibited firearm.

Members of the public who hand in firearms at police station in Greater Manchester will receive a voucher which can be exchanged for a boxing ticket.

Mr Warren's promotions company Sports Network has set aside 10,000 tickets, to a value of �700,000, for selected boxing events.

'Guns not names'

Police are appealing for all unwanted air weapons, blank firers and imitation guns to be handed in, as well as illegally held firearms.

Detective Inspector Mark Roberts, of Greater Manchester Police, said: "If we can get one gun off the streets and this stops it being used in a murder then that will make it all worthwhile.

"It's guns that we are after not names."

From Monday until the end of April those who hand in weapons will not be prosecuted.

The campaign aims to reduce gun-related crime and robbery.

The last national firearms amnesty in 1996, following the killing of schoolchildren at Dunblane, saw 23,000 firearms and 700,000 rounds of ammunition surrendered.