‘Real guns’ on sale in market for £5

A variety of cheap authentic-looking replica guns are placed among an array of children's stocking fillers on the stall outside Sainsbury's in the High Street.

It is not illegal to sell these items, but a draft police report into tackling gun crime in London states: "Replica and imitation firearms appear to be the most common type of weapon in serious and violent gun crime."

Police have warned they must assume a gun is real if they receive a report of someone possessing anything that looks like a firearm and the results could be potentially fatal.

An inquest into the death of man who was shot by police while in possession of a cigarette lighter in the shape of a gun in South London is currently being heard.

The Guardian purchased a detailed replica handgun from the stall for £5.

Without close inspection, the Lorcin M38-9 A is difficult to distinguish from the real thing.

A warning on the box says that the gun should not be given to anyone under the age of 14 and must not be fired at any adult or animal.

Borough Commander George Clarke said: "I would urge anyone, in particular any parent or guardian, to think long and hard before buying a replica firearm.

"As a parent I know the daft and reckless things a young person might do.

"Once that replica gun is taken outside the home, the person carrying it places themselves in grave danger.

"While police officers deployed to such incidents exercise great care, mistakes can and do occur. If the public stopped buying them, these traders would go out of business."

The stallholder, who refused to give his name, believes replica guns will be banned eventually, but refused to accept any moral responsibility for the potential consequences of his trade. He said: "If I don't sell them, someone else will. I could sell more powerful guns such as air rifles but I don't.

"I abide by the rules and I am just trying to make a living. I warn people that they should not be given to under-14s and it is the parents' responsibility to look after their children.

"How can I be responsible if someone has the mentality to use it in a criminal way? You can buy chemically sharpened knives from Sainsbury's and the camping shop down the road. Should that be stopped as well?

"Parents often buy them to teach their kids what is right and what is wrong."

Stephen McGarry, the Association of Chief Police Officers' spokesman on the criminal use of firearms, warned: "If the police get a report that someone has what looks like a firearm, they must treat it as if it is real, whether it is or it is not that could result in someone being fatally shot."

A spokeswoman for the council said: "We understand that there is some concern about the sale of toy guns that look real, but at the moment the law does not allow us to prevent them from being on sale.

"When necessary, we ask traders to remove replica toy guns from sale and some traders have voluntarily complied but we cannot force traders who wish to continue selling these toys to stop. Our trading standards officers, community safety team and the police will work together to develop a strategy for dealing with this problem.

"We are asking parents to think carefully before buying their child a toy gun that looks like a real one."

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