Thousands of campaigners are expected to gather in Nottingham to protest against rising gun crime.

The march is being organised by Janice Collins, whose son Brendon Lawrence was shot in St Ann's last February.

The Mother's Against Guns march will take place through the city on Saturday and follows a similar march in London

Other bereaved parents will join Mrs Collins in the community-led protest which is calling for tougher sentencing.

Tougher laws

Brendon was on his way to visit his father when he was shot dead. His killers are still at large.

The Home Secretary, David Blunkett, has called gun crime a blight on society which the government is determined to tackle head on.

Brendon was not in a street gang

But recent proposals for minimum sentences for offenders were criticised after it emerged that five-year minimum sentences would not be imposed in all cases.

Mrs Collins told BBC Radio Nottingham there should be tougher punishment for anyone caught carrying a handgun.

"I don't think the five year sentence is going to stop anybody carrying them.

"It has got to be at least 10 years minimum with no parole.

"If somebody knows that if they are going to get caught with a gun on them they are going down for at least 10 years it is going to be a deterrent," she said.

The march, which is expected to attract about 2,000 people, is due to begin at Forest Recreation Ground at 1130 GMT and will proceed to Royal Concert Hall for a meeting to discuss gun-related crime at 1230 GMT.