FIGURES obtained by the Jersey Evening Post today expose the extraordinary level of gun ownership in the Island and the extent of the personal arsenals which people have been allowed to build up.

Some of the 11,051 weapons currently being lawfully held by Jersey residents are so deadly that even the Territorial Army are not allowed to have them in the Island, yet they are being stored in private homes.

Six people have been given permission to own Browning sub-machine guns capable of bringing planes down and with a maximum range of four miles.

The States police have grave fears that the current licensing rules mean that unstable and unsuitable people are legally getting hold of guns with the blessing of parish Constables.

The system is now under urgent review and Home Affairs Assistant Minister Andrew Lewis was due to meet police chief Graham Power and the chairman of the Constables Committee, Ken Vibert, today to discuss the issue.