Britain said today that it expected more than 25,000 firearms to be handed over to police during a month-long amnesty aimed at combating a rising tide of gun crime sweeping the country.
Home Secretary Mr David Blunkett said police estimated around 25,000 firearms and half a million rounds of ammunition would be taken out of circulation by midnight on Wednesday when the amnesty ends.
The UK's fifth national gun amnesty - the first in seven years - came in the wake of the fatal shooting of two teenage girls at a New Year's Party and with police warning that firearms were considered a fashion item by many young people.
The girls - Ms Charlene Ellis (18) and Ms Latisha Shakespeare (17) - died after being caught in the crossfire of a suspected gangland battle in Birmingham, central England.
The shooting in Birmingham led to furious calls from Britons for action, prompting the government to announce the amnesty along with plans for new laws including a mandatory five-year jail term for anyone caught illegally possessing a gun.
"While by international standards we still have a relatively low number of incidents, the recent rise is unacceptable and has prompted urgent action to tackle it head-on," said Mr Blunkett, who hosted a meeting today of key figures involved in the government's attempts to cut gun crime.