The latest figures on gun crime in Oxfordshire are alarming.

There were 91 incidents in the county between April and August, compared with 102 in the whole of last year.

Although there were some major incidents, most of the crimes involved children playing with ball-bearing guns.

It is astonishing that with so much terrorism around the world, parents should be allowing or encouraging their youngsters to have weapons of any kind.

As we approach Christmas, there must be a lesson there for everyone -- don't buy them as presents.

The warning applies as much to replica guns as real weapons.

Police armed response units might not wait to ask questions if there is a suspicion that those holding guns are about to use them.

After all, there is often no way even a skilled marksman can tell from a distance whether a gun is real or not.

There is a strong case for tightening the law still further on all types of guns.

Meanwhile, it is good to note that Thames Valley Police have reviewed the way they deal with gun crime, in the wake of the Highmoor Cross shootings.

They were heavily criticised for their slow response after a man killed his estranged wife and her sister and then tried to kill their mother.

It is reassuring that the senior officers have acknowledged their mistakes and taken the necessary steps to tighten procedures.