FOLLOWING two serious incidents involving BB guns this week, one of which halted new admissions to the Royal Surrey Hospital, Surrey Police are offering to collect and safely dispose of BB and replica guns. As part of a four-week campaign, officers have been warning of the similarities between replica and real weapons and the dangers of carrying them in public. Now people who are concerned about owning a BB gun – or parents who do not want their children to have one any more – can arrange for it to be safely collected and destroyed by Surrey Police. Inspector Paul Pearson of the tactical firearms unit explained: "Since we launched the campaign, we have received calls from people who were unaware of just how realistic BB guns can be. For example, parents who had given these items as toys now realise they could put their child in real danger. The collection will be carried out by trained firearms officers between operational taskings, so even though it may not happen straight away, "this is definitely the safest way to get rid of unwanted items", said Inspector Pearson. The incident at the Royal Surrey Hospital took place in the early hours of Saturday. Armed police were called out when, during a consultation in A&E, a doctor spotted the handle of a black handgun in a patient's pocket. Hospital staff discretely evacuated the area and stopped all new admissions. When the officers arrived the man had fallen asleep in a cubicle. They found a realistic BB gun inside his coat pocket. The man, unemployed Paul Scott, 42, from Guildford, was arrested for possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear or distress, charged and bailed. Four days previously, armed response officers and the police helicopter were sent to another incident in which a teenager was seen with a weapon, later found to be a BB gun, in Redhill town centre. Inspector Pearson said: "As these incidents show, people cannot tell the difference between real and replica guns, so we take all reported sightings of firearms very seriously, as do the courts. I ask people – is using a BB gun really worth the risk of scaring innocent people, being challenged by armed officers, getting a criminal record and possibly even losing your life? " People who want to take up the disposal service should call Surrey Police on 0845 125 2222.