A Sunderland woman whose young son was shot in the face with an airgun has helped launch a new nationwide charity to fight gun crime.

Linda Mitchell, who lives in Roker, has been compaigning for tougher laws since 12-year-old Michah was lucky to survive the 2001 shooting, which knocked out his bottom teeth.

DISARM, unveiled by Home Secretary David Blunkett at Westminster yesterday, has already pledged funds for a project set up by Mrs Mitchell's own organisation.

The aim is for every secondary school in the country to be sent a video warning about the dangers crime in time for the new academic year, in September.

Mrs Mitchell said she hoped Disarm could persuade the government to introduce even tougher restrictions, including the registration of all air guns.

DISARM was set up after several high-profile shootings, including teenagers Letisha Shakespeare and Charlene Ellis, who were celebrating New Year's Eve in 2002, in Birmingham.

Celebrities endorsing the charity at yesterday's event included Casualty star Kwame Kwei-Armah, rapper Iceberg Slimm and basketball player John Amaechi.

Mr Blunkett insisted a corner was being turned in the battle against gun crime, with a "massive drop" in shootings across Britain last year.

He said: "There is a spirit within neighbourhoods, a spirit within communities and churches, within the wider community of this country. A spirit of being determined to do the job and turn this around.

"In the last 12 months we have genuinely seen a massive drop, not only in deaths caused by guns, but also in attempted killings."