PRIME Minister Tony Blair has been handed a petition demanding that children are banned from owning air guns following two tragedies in the North-East.

Three Teesside MPs handed the petition into Number 10 Downing Street, yesterday, calling for the weapons to be licensed only to adults.

Redcar MP Vera Baird said: "What we are saying is there should be legislation for the regulation of airguns, rather like there is for firearms.

"Each one would have a number and would be sold to an adult, only. He would be required to keep and look after it in such a way that a child could not get hold of it. If one did and something happened it would be traceable to the licensed owner.''

There are plans for the parents of Matthew Sheffield, the 14-year-old Eaglescliffe boy killed in a game with an airgun last year, to meet Mr Blair next week.

A letter from Mark and Wendy Sheffield was handed in at Downing Street with the petition.

Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Ashok Kumar said: "Too many people have been injured and too many families distressed to allow the present lax legislation to remain unamended."

Stockton South MP Dari Taylor wants legislation announced in the Queen's Speech. She said: "Legislation is long overdue. Air guns are not play things and should not easily available without a licence.''

Sunderland South MP Chris Mullin demanded action earlier this year after 15-year-old constituent Nicola Diston was blinded in one eye in an airgun incident.

She was shot with an air weapon while walking home in Gateshead, in November last year.