Elderly man in Fife hands police his firearms stash

Image source, Police Scotland

Image caption, The nine firearms were handed in by one Fife resident as part of a guns amnesty.

Nine firearms have been handed in to officers by an "elderly" man as part of an amnesty.

The Fife resident turned in the weapons - which included a pistol from the First World War - and ammunition at Glenrothes Police Station.

It comes as part of the force's Firearms Surrender Campaign, which runs until the weekend.

Ch Supt Colin Gall said any firearm had the potential to fall into the hands of criminals.

He said: "One of the outcomes of this campaign is about removing dangerous weapons from the street to reduce the amount of illegally held firearms within the public arena.

"There is always the possibility that weapons such as the ones handed in can fall into the hands of criminals either through lack of security or other criminal means.

"Often weapons are found in attics, garages, sheds or handed down generations within families.

"I request those with ownership of weapons or ammunition in these circumstances to hand them in with the knowledge that this period is a time of amnesty."