A HOARD of air rifles has been surrendered to police as new licensing laws are set to unroll.

A total of 116 air rifles and pistols have been handed in from Clydebank, Dumbarton and Helensburgh.

They are currently being stored in an old cell in Dumbarton Police HQ and will soon be destroyed.

It comes as new laws make it illegal for anyone to possess an air gun without a licence under the Air Weapon and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015.

The act comes into force from December 31, 2016 but prior to this date, anyone holding an air weapon has six months to either obtain a certificate or surrender their weapon(s) to the police.

Cops have been collecting weaponry since Monday, May 23 and will wind their campaign up on Sunday, June 12.

Firearms officer James Young said: “We’ve been happy with the amount of air guns that have been handed in. Most of them would have been used for low level vermin control or target shooting. After the new law, people will still be able to have an airgun for these purposes but they must get a licence for it and have a good reason for it.”

Air gun licensing will be handled by the officers who deal with licences for shotguns and other weapons.

In Dumbarton Police Station, the Clydebank Post was able to inspect some of the haul.

From less powerful pistols to rifles, a vast collection was being kept in a disused cell.

The firearms officer said around 50 of them were due to be destroyed imminently.

“These can be dangerous weapons,” Mr Young said. “If a pellet from an air rifle like these ones was to hit someone in the eye it could do some serious damage and in the worst cases, kill people.”

The effort is part of a nationwide drive to rid the streets of air guns after the SNP government unrolled new legislation to tighten control of air guns.

Assistant chief constable Mark Williams said: “Police Scotland fully supports the new legislation and more robust licensing arrangements.”