Replicas are turned into lethal weapons

Starting pistols designed for sporting events are being converted into deadly weapons - and account for four out of 10 guns seized by police investigating gangland shootings in London.

The Olympic brand of pistol can be bought legally for £80 and can be converted by illegal gun factories to fire 9mm bullets in as little as 24 hours.

Then worth up to £600 on the black market, the guns are rapidly becoming the most popular weapon in the capital's escalating gang wars.

A 16-year-old north London youth will stand trial next month for the attempted murder of a 25-year-old man using such a weapon.

London had 237 shootings in the six months to the end of last month, up from 124 during the same period last year. The Met said: "Getting replica firearms off the streets is pretty much the priority."