WORRIED gun dealers are facing an uncertain future as a phased surrender of handguns began in Lancashire this week.

Owners of high calibre handguns were invited to give up their weapons at Lancashire Police headquarters.

The Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 has banned ownership of large calibre guns following the Dunblane tragedy.

Local dealers are bracing themselves for possible tougher legislation which could hit their businesses.

The present situation has not been too much of a blow for Eccleston gunsmith Bamford's.

Proprietor Lawrence Jones explained: "We don't really deal in handguns, we deal in shotguns, but it has frightened people who own shotguns and it has certainly slowed trade down."

Mr Jones said more stringent legislation could put him out of business, adding: "It is always at the back of your mind. There's not a lot you can do until it actually happens."

Badly hit though is McAvoy's in neighbouring Standish where boss Tim McAvoy blamed the new legislation on "electioneering."

The firm has been selling handguns to a variety of customers and says one employee has been made redundant as a result of business dropping by a third to a half in the past 15 months.

Meanwhile, owners of .22 handguns will receive ex-gratia payments if they choose to hand in their weapons in anticipation of the Firearms Bill currently before Parliament.

Lancashire has some 2,200 licensed high calibre handguns in circulation plus 950 small calibre weapons at present.

Police have visited officials of licensed gun clubs - Royal Ordnance runs one in Chorley - to smooth the way for the weapons transfer.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.