OH dear, here we go, flogging the imitation and soft air gun horse again (July 18).

Why? Because the Government cannot do anything about the criminal use of real guns so they are hoping to divert public attention.

Nobody thinks that if criminals cannot get imitation guns they will stop holding people up. Everyone knows that if they cannot get imitations, they will start using real guns and then more victims will be killed.

We are told the police may shoot people carrying imitation guns by mistake. I think anyone who goes against the police sub-machine guns and sniper rifles with a plastic toy has a death wish anyway.

The truth would seem to be that the police have been instructed by the Home Office to overreact to any firearms incident.

Luckily, most people have seen it all before with this Government and are not fooled.

They know imitation firearms are lumps of metal and that soft air guns (BB guns) are toys and that neither represent a significant threat to anyone.

Jeremy D Fox,

Malton Avenue,

York.

Updated: 10:57 Thursday, July 21, 2005