West Yorkshire is to host a national conference aimed at tackling the scourge of spiralling gun crime in Britain.

The top-level meeting in March will help draw up tough new laws to halt an alarming spate of shootings in cities such as Bradford.

The county's Chief Constable, Colin Cramphorn, announced the move yesterday after attending a 'gun crime summit' with the Home Secretary David Blunkett and heads of other forces which have been blighted by firearms incidents.

Home Office figures released this week revealed three per cent of Britain's gun crime last year was committed in West Yorkshire. Although this figure stood at 1,865 offences, it fell to 332 when airgun incidents were excluded. Nationally, gun crime soared 35 per cent, prompting the Home Secretary to call yesterday's summit between politicians, police chiefs, prosecutors and community leaders.

The meeting approved a national gun amnesty in the future which will allow people to hand over illegal weapons without fear of being prosecuted.

Ministers also asked that suggestions for new anti-gun legislation should be presented at a follow-up meeting in West Yorkshire in March.

After yesterday's meeting, West Yorkshire Chief Constable Colin Cramphorn said: "Three main themes emerged at the meeting - enforcement, community engagement and the whole issue of gun culture and gangs."

He said that two years ago, the force had recognised an escalating problem with gun crime and had since had "significant success" in getting weapons off the streets.

"However, we recognise that enforcement alone is not a long term solution. There are wider issues for the whole community and we must look at ways of creating an 'exit strategy' for young people who are locked into this mode of life."