POLICE are concerned that high-powered electric stun guns are appearing in County Durham.

The weapons, which are illegal, deliver a temporary disabling electric shock of between 50,000 and 100,000 volts.

Nationally, there is concern among police forces that the weapons, which can be bought on the Internet or from some European countries, are being acquired by more criminals.

The guns, which can be disguised to look like pagers, have two prongs that have to make skin contact to deliver a shock. Unlike conventional guns they are not usually fatal. Someone hit by a pulse of electricity may be disabled for several minutes.

Two stun guns were recovered by police in a raid on a house in Durham City.

The raid, which also uncovered a number of cannabis plants, was carried out as part of the force's Operation Bullseye, the seasonal campaign against known criminals.

A man was arrested and the stun guns have been seized along with the cannabis plants. A Durham Police spokesman said: "A number of these stun guns have come to our attention.

"It is a concern that these weapons are getting into the public domain but we wouldn't want to be alarmist by suggesting they are readily available and people are using them.

"They have been coming into our hands in small numbers."

Stun guns are different from Tasers, which some forces are experimenting with and fire wires at the target to deliver shocks.