FIREARMS officers from Avon and Somerset police will be visiting young people in Bridgwater to talk about the dangers of guns and imitation weapons.

The officers will be giving a presentation and holding a workshop for young people at the Sydenham Drop-In Scheme in East Bridgwater, as part of Operation Tommy, which aims to educate young people regarding firearms and the risks of being found in possession of BB guns and other imitation weapons in public places.

Of all incidents requiring armed police attendance in Avon and Somerset, 90 per cent are found to involve imitation guns or air weapons and each time an armed response unit is called it costs approximately £2,000

PC Simeon Marshall, a firearms officer from Avon and Somerset police who helps coordinate Operation Tommy, said: "These presentations are designed to engage with young people directly to make them aware of the law and how offences involving weapons, real or not, are dealt with. Being found in possession of a replica or BB gun in public place is illegal.

"Many young people don't perhaps realise that what could begin with what they consider to be harmless fun, maybe mucking about with a BB gun for example, could perhaps result in the police being called as it is extremely difficult to tell the difference between a real gun and an imitation."

The workshop will allow young people to handle six weapons including a real Glock 17 – they then have to try and decide which are fakes and which are real.