Armed police rushed to a park in Hammersmith after a gun was discovered hidden in bushes by a young boy.

The child was playing near Margravine Road with his mother nearby when he found the firearm on Sunday (April 2) at around 5pm.

Armed officers were called to secure the scene, and a firearms trained forensic officer also attended.

Police are now testing the weapon, which was not loaded, to see if it has been used in any offences.

Hammersmith and Fulham officers do not know the exact age of the child who stumbled across the firearm, but have described him on Twitter as a “young child”.

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getwestlondon was told by police: “A young boy was playing in a park near to Margravine Road when he came across the firearm discarded in a bush in the children’s playground. The child’s mother contacted police.

“Specialist armed response officers attended to secure the scene, a firearms trained forensic officer then attended the location to make the firearm safe and has seized it for forensics.”

Police enquiries continue.

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The discovery of the weapon comes after the Met's ‘give up your gun’ amnesty earlier this year, in which 83 firearms and 1,175 rounds of ammunition were dropped off at police stations by the public.

Among the guns given over were 22 live firearms, including an AK47 rifle and a pump-action shotgun.

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