The editor of the Evening Gazette, Middlesbrough, has called for Tony Blair to ban under-18s from owning airguns.

In an open letter, Stephen Dyson has demanded that the Prime Minister acts, that airguns are licensed and stricter controls are introduced on the sale of ammunition for airguns.

Since June this year the Evening Gazette has been fighting for a change in the law under its Ban Young Guns campaign in a bid to put a stop to the rising number of air weapon tragedies.

Last month Tony Blair was shown a portfolio of stories on the danger of airguns when he visited the paper, and also received a petition signed by more than 3,000 people.

During his visit Mr Blair promised to pass on the petition to the Home Office, which he said was already considering a change in the law.

However, since then there has been no direct response from Mr Blair or David Blunkett’s department and following a tragic court case, where a boy was convicted of the manslaughter of a close friend after he accidently shot him with airgun, Stephen has written to Mr Blair “as a matter of urgency”.

In his letter he told Mr Blair: “Teesside as a community, led by the Evening Gazette and with the support of local councils, MPs and the police, demand that airguns are taken out of the hands of anyone under the age of 18.

“We demand they are licensed.

“And we demand stricter controls on the sale of ammunition for airguns.

“We know legislation on this matter will take some time. But we want to know something is going to happen. And we want to be kept in touch with your plans at all stages.”

Evening Gazette journalist Bill Doult will deliver the letter by hand to Downing Street, along with more than 700 extra signatures collected since the Prime Minister’s visit.

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