FIREARMS have been seized at schools in Weymouth as police warn the BB gun craze is spiralling out of control.

The realistic replica weapons - or BB guns - have been confiscated from children at schools throughout the area.

Police said children as young as ten have got their hands on the pellet-firing guns.

Two ten-year-old girls have been using cars on the Esplanade for target practice, and an 11-year-old girl was hit in the eye by a pellet from a BB gun in the Hillcrest Road area of Wyke Regis.

It is now feared a serious injury could occur if the problem continues to grow. Officers are warning that younger children are especially vulnerable to injury. PC Rick O'Shea of Weymouth Police said: "Schools in Weymouth have seized BB guns from pupils, despite warnings not to bring them into school.

"In one recent incident involving a replica gun, an 11-year-old girl was hit in the eye. She needed to visit a doctor and the injury could have been much worse. We have also had reports of children shooting at cars in the town centre."

Deputy director of education at Dorset County Council, Mike Young, said: "No school wants to see weapons being brought in by children, whether real or fake - it is not an appropriate place for any kind of weapon.

"Children often see these weapons as toys until the dangers are pointed out to them. They may be taking them into school to show off, but they can cause injury and damage."

The guns have become so realistic it is now hard to tell the difference from the real thing. The police armed response unit often deals with firearm incidents that turn out to be false alarms involving BB guns.

PC O'Shea said: "It is hard to tell BB guns from from real guns and that creates as a risk to the person carrying the gun, as well as wasting police time."

He added: "I don't blame the children - it is often the case that parents are buying the guns for them. They are very realistic weapons and not the same as the cap guns children played with in the past."