YOUNGSTERS in Warrington run the risk of getting a criminal record if they are seen carrying a weapon in public - and it doesn't matter whether the weapon is real or fake.

Cheshire Police's new poster campaign is aimed at educating young people about how difficult it is to spot whether someone is carrying a real weapon or a fake one.

PC Tim Lightfoot, who helped to create the poster, which is partly funded by charity Crimebeat, said: "People who carry weapons - real or imitation - are putting the safety of themselves and others at risk.

"Armed officers are sent to deal with incidents involving firearms and they do not know if the gun is real or not."