POLICE are urging airgun sellers across the county to register as firearms dealers.

Changes to the law on the sale of air weapons, which come into effect today, will require all businesses who sell any type of airgun to register with the police as firearms dealers.

Dealers will be accountable to the police, who will be able to withdraw registration where there is a risk to public safety.

The change comes under Section 31 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006. Until now airgun sellers did not need to register.

Superintendent David Coutts, head of administration of justice at North Yorkshire Police, said: "This is not just an administrative matter or a tidying up of legal niceties - effective, appropriate weapon control is an important element of public safety.

"There have been instances where these weapons have got into the wrong hands and this can then become, literally, a matter of life or death."

The order brings part of the change to the law into force from today, but will allow a period for businesses which have not already registered to apply to do so.

The rest of section 31, which makes it a criminal offence to trade in air weapons without being a registered dealer, will be brought into effect later this year. At the same time, regulations will be made specifying how air weapon dealers will have to record any transactions they make.

The Press told last year how Selby MP John Grogan called for the law regarding airguns to be tightened up after two young sisters were sold one of the weapons by a York shop.

Charlotte Day, 12, and her sister Jasmin, ten, of The Groves, York, went into Blue Moon Trading, in Goodramgate, and bought a lifelike imitation handgun.

Their furious mum, Sarah Newell, said her daughters' lives had been put at risk.

A York Police spokesman said at the time: "We could really do without them on the streets.

"If we get a call reporting people with guns, we have to respond with firearms officers for the protection of the public and the police officers attending.

"If a gun like that is pointed at an armed officer they are put in a position where they have to ask themselves, do I fire or not?"

Further information and details of how to register are available from North Yorkshire Police Firearms Licensing Department on 0845 60 60 247, or by email at firearmslicensing@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk