It took just minutes to buy these weapons

TOM GEORGE finds there are no questions asked when he buys a crossbow and a fearsome 14-inch length knife in the M.E.N.'s special investigation

- TOM GEORGE

WEAPONS are being sold openly in shops on high streets around Greater Manchester.

A Manchester Evening News investigation has revealed just how easy it is for people to get hold of knives and crossbows with lethal potential.

Our reporters were able to purchase a pistol crossbow, capable of firing aluminium pointed bolts at high velocity, at a children's toy shop in Bury and a machete from a gift shop in Stockport.

While it is not illegal for shops to sell such items to people over the age of 18, it raises concerns about how easily available they are.

The alarming discovery comes amid concerns about violent crime across the UK, particularly involving young people.

Several high-profile attacks have raised concerns about whether existing laws on dangerous weapons, such as knives and crossbows, may not be fit for purpose.

'BET YOU DON'T SELL MANY OF THESE?'

In a children's toy shop in Bury town centre, a group of children are admiring a display of kiddies' games.

Yards away, behind a locked glass-fronted cabinet, lies a more troubling display. The collection of air soft guns, knives, bats, balaclavas and smoke bombs tucked away at the back of Prince Toys stands in stark contrast to the fluffy toys on the next aisle.

I've come to the shop, at the heart of the busy Mill Gate Shopping Centre, after receiving a tip from a concerned reader about the items on sale here. As I browse the items on display, a member of staff watches me carefully from across the shop.

There's a lot to take in but I eventually set my sights on a pistol crossbow. From the box alone, it looks terrifying and capable of doing some serious damage in the wrong hands.