Police are overwhelmed with the number of firearms handed in

A Kalashnikov assault rifle as well as BB guns and air weapons were among the haul handed in.

The month-long amnesty started on 30 March to encourage owners of illegal or unwanted guns to hand them in without fear of prosecution.

The biggest number of weapons handed in was at Worthing police station where 142 firearms were surrendered.

Weapons handed in Bexhill - 29 Brighton - 28 Chichester - 51 firearms Crawley - 75 Eastbourne - 60 Hastings - 41 Haywards Heath - 29 Worthing - 142 Uckfield - 24

Assistant Chief Constable Geoff Williams, from Sussex Police, said they had been overwhelmed by the response from people across the county.

He said: "The amnesty is set to run until the end of April and we urge people to continue to surrender their firearms.

"We are fortunate in Sussex that we do not have a major gun crime culture - only a small proportion of crimes with the force involve firearm.

"However, we are not complacent and want to make the streets in Sussex even safer."

The amnesty comes just before new legislation is brought in which will make it an offence to carry imitation guns and air weapons in a public place.

A five-year minimum sentence is also being brought in for possession of a prohibited firearm.