AIRGUN owners in Clackmannanshire are being offered the opportunity to surrender their weapons to Alloa Police Station over the next few weeks.

Police Scotland have launched an "amnesty" to allow those residents who currently possess such firearms, but do not intend to apply for a license, to hand them over to officers.

As of December 31, possessing an airgun without a license will be a criminal offence, punishable with a maximum sentence of two years' imprisonment.

Alloa Police Office, on Mar Place, is one of 72 stations across Scotland that will be accepting the weapons during the campaign between 23 May and 12 June.

Chief Inspector Drew Sinclair, area commander for Clackmannanshire, told the Advertiser: "This new legislation which comes into effect on December 31 will require everyone owning an air weapon to have a licence and without one will become a criminal offence.

"Alloa Police Office is the designated police office in Clackmannanshire for the surrender campaign which runs from 23 May to 12 June 2016.

"I would ask those owners who do not want to pay for a licence to surrender it at Alloa Police office in a case or black bag and ensure that it is not removed from the covering even when in the police office.

"Local officers in Clackmannanshire are committed to keeping our communities safe and urge people to be responsible, read the information, decide on your course of action and either surrender or licence it.

"There is information on the Police Scotland website on the safe carriage and transportation of the weapons and we will have trained officers available to facilitate this."

Police Scotland's Assistant Chief Constable Mark Williams said: "Protecting the public sits at the heart of everything we do and Police Scotland fully supports the new legislation and the more robust licensing arrangements that will be introduced.

"I would urge members of the public who own air weapons but don't intend licensing them to take advantage of our surrender campaign."

He added: "Remember, if you keep air weapons and don't have a license you will be committing a criminal offence."

A number of police officers have been given specialist training to support the airgun surrender process.

Police Scotland said advice on how to transport the weapons safely, and to find out where the nearest designation station was, could be found on their website.