Gangsters are converting imitation guns used for historical re-enactments and school sports days into lethal weapons at “firearm factories” across the country.
Revolvers, British Bren machine guns and German MP 40 submachine guns are among the replica firearms being altered to fire live ammunition.
Last year the number of discharges from converted imitation, antique or blank weapons outnumbered those by real firearms for the first time (64 compared with 42).
