A PISTOL, thought to belong to a British Army officer in the First World War, has been handed in to Kidderminster Police Station.

The Webley MK VI, which is stamped 1917, was handed over to police during a two-week firearms surrender campaign.

West Mercia Police says the gun, which was likely passed down through generations, would have been issued to a British Army officer and would potentially have seen service during the First World War.

The firearm, which police say is in "fantastic condition for its age" and has "high historical value", was surrendered together with its original ammo belt and holster and will now be donated to a museum.

It is one of 26 firearms handed in to the Habberley Road station during the anti-gun initiative which ran from Saturday, July 20, to Sunday, August 4.

The region-wide campaign, which gave people with firearms the opportunity to hand them in to their local police station, saw 103 firearms surrendered in total, as well as 41 rounds of ammunition.

At Redditch Police Station, 14 firearms were handed in, and the Worcester station saw 11 surrendered.

The surrendered weapons have been made safe and most of them will be cut up and melted down. Exceptionally rare weapons or those with high historical value, like the Webley MK VI, will be donated to museums.