Police today warned children against the dangers of carrying firearms after a youngster took a gun and a selection of knives to his local youth club.

The ball-bearing gun and the knives were confiscated by an adult at the King John Youth Centre, based at the King John School in Shipwright's Drive, Thundersley, last night.

He alerted police who went round to his house in Queensmere, Benfleet, at 10.15pm and seized the weapons.

Chief Insp Dave King, of Rayleigh police, said: "The ball-bearing gun and the knives were being displayed at the youth club. We have taken them away.

"A ball-bearing gun is still a weapon as something comes out when it is fired. We are warning teenagers about the dangers of carrying real or imitation firearms."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.