North Wales Police and Gwynedd Council Trading Standards are warning businesses about several important changes to the law relating to imitation guns and air rifles.

The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006, which came into force on October 1 2007, controls the sale of imitation firearms and makes the manufacture, import or supply ‘realistic’ imitation firearms illegal. This means that any ‘realistic’ imitation gun - including toy guns - cannot now be sold.

Imitation firearms which are smaller than a credit card or transparent or brightly coloured are not classed as ‘realistic’ firearms. However, these types of imitation firearms can only be sold to and purchased by persons over 18 years of age.

The new legislation also raises the age limit for selling and purchasing air guns to 18 years of age. Only Registered Fire Arms Dealers can now sell air guns, and all such transactions have to be face to face.

Records of all air gun sales must be kept, and the name and address of the owner of the air weapon will be recorded in a Fire Arms Register.

In 2005-06 there were 3,275 offences involving imitation firearms in England and Wales.

Gwynedd Public Protection Manager John Reynolds said: “Since October 1 2007, there has been some confusion in the trade over what can and can’t be legally sold.

"Our message to retailers is simple – they should remove all ‘realistic’ imitation firearms from sale and confine sales of all other imitation firearms to those over the age of 18.

"If there is any doubt over the age of a prospective purchaser, retailers should ask for proof of age, as with existing age-restricted products such as alcohol, tobacco an d knives.”

A North Wales Police spokesperson added: “The new measures send a message that weapons on our streets will not be tolerated.

"Tackling gun crime is a top priority for the Government, and it is essential that we build on the tools and powers that the Police already have in order to make people feel safer and more secure in their communities.”