One month countdown to British gun law

A one-month period has started in Britain during which owners of small-calibre handguns must hand in their weapons before a tough new law banning them comes into force on March the first.

People who surrender their guns during this period will get compensation, but after that continued possession of any handgun will become a criminal offence -- punishable by up to ten years in jail.

Last year, an amnesty for larger weapons led to more than one-hundred-and-twenty thousand being handed in.

The new British gun control measures were prompted by the killing of sixteen schoolchildren and their teacher at Dunblane, Scotland nearly two years ago.

However, shooting enthusiasts have said they will do nothing to halt violent crime.

Exceptions to the ban include antique weapons and starting pistols used for sporting events.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service