A gun amnesty by Cambridgeshire Police has prompted 50 collections of weapons in the first four days.

The collection includes 11 lots of ammunition in a two week crack that runs until Friday November 21.

The Amnesty began on Monday 10 and a spokesman said that as of Friday 14 there had been 48 collections from Cambridgeshire.

There were seven 7 weapons from Bedfordshire and 39 weapons from Hertfordshire.

During the crackdown anyone who has a firearm or ammunition they wish to surrender will not be prosecuted in relation to any firearm’s licensing offences.

Cambridgeshire remains one of the safest counties in the country and has little gun crime, the spokesman said, however, this amnesty, along with other crime prevention campaigns, will contribute to making the county a safer place to live.

Superintendent Tony Ixer said: “There is very little gun crime in Cambridgeshire but as part of a coordinated national campaign to stop guns falling into the wrong hands, we are joining forces across the country to help people dispose of guns safely.

“New legislation introduced in July 2014 means that some people who already have firearms in their possession may be breaking the law. In such cases it is possible that these gun owners are not even aware that they are committing an offence. In some cases it is also an offence to possess firearms for sale or to transfer ownership of firearms or ammunition. These changes could mean that antique dealers and other collectors may be breaking the law, which could result in a sentence of imprisonment.

“The changes to the existing laws also introduce restrictions to the possession of firearms by ˜prohibited persons’ which include those previously convicted of a crime. Those who have previously served custodial sentences of between three months and three years are prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition for five years following release, whilst those who have served longer sentences are permanently prohibited.

“It is likely that there are people who are in possession of a firearm that they have inherited or that they have overlooked or forgotten about. Whatever the circumstances, the amnesty provides the opportunity to dispose of these unwanted firearms safely and with peace of mind.”

Anyone with a firearm or ammunition they wish to hand-in should call 101 to arrange collection.