GUN crime on the police beat covering Worcestershire and Herefordshire reached 54 recorded offences last year - up from 38 in the previous 12 months.

The surge in gun crime in West Mercia represents an increase of 42 per cent - compared with an average for England and Wales of 35 per cent.

The statistics were revealed after the Government announced a crackdown on gun crime with a series of plans to tighten firearms law.

Home Secretary David Blunkett had unveiled plans to introduce a five-year minimum jail sentence for anyone illegally possessing a firearm - although judges would have the power to vary this in "exceptional circumstances".

That was followed yesterday by the announcement that new legislation would be brought in to ban anyone carrying a replica or air weapon in a public place without a good reason.

The age limit for acquiring and using an air weapon - which are not included in today's figures - without adult supervision will also be increased from 14 to 17.

Ministers have insisted the measures are not a snap response to the New Year shooting in Birmingham in which two teenage girls died.

Home Office Minister John Denham said: "The truth is that all the measures we have announced this week have been under discussion and in preparation for a matter of months at least."

Mr Denham said rising gun violence was only a small part of overall crime but was "desperately worrying", especially for the worst-affected areas.

Nationally, the number of firearms offences recorded last year was 9,974 - up from 7,362 in the 12 months to April 2001.

The latest figures are double the 4,903 firearms incidents recorded in 1997, when Labour first took power.