NEW legislation banning replica firearms from public places has been welcomed by a senior police officer.

North Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable David Collins said the new laws could be a life saver.

The Anti-Social Behaviour Act came into force on January 20, making it an offence to have an air gun, toy or replica of a firearm in a public place without lawful authority or reasonable excuse. Offenders can be arrested.

Police in North Yorkshire have been called to a series of incidents where members of the public have seen youngsters brandishing what they believe is a gun.

Officers are told to assume such weapons are lethal until proven otherwise, leading to situations where police officers with semi-automatic weapons are facing young people supposedly armed with guns.

Mr Collins said: "Quite simply, what this means is that it is against the law to play the fool with the kind of toy gun that has sparked a series of armed police operations.

"We have campaigned long and hard against the sale and misuse of this type of gun and I am delighted that this legislation gives us an added power to stamp out this kind of dangerous behaviour."

The same law also made it an offence to manufacture, sell, purchase or transfer any air weapon using a self-contained gas cartridge system.