A surrender scheme to encourage people to hand in airguns has been proposed for May this year.

The Police Scotland initiative is part of wider reforms to tighten access to the weapons and other steps to improve public safety.

The Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015 will require people to apply for a licence to own, possess and shoot an air weapon.

From July 1, airgun owners in Scotland will be given six months to apply for a licence before new laws controlling their use are fully enforced at the end of the year.

Ahead of this, an amnesty will be held to encourage members of the public to turn in their weapons if they do not want to apply for a licence.

A briefing report for Edinburgh City Council’s police and fire scrutiny committee on Friday outlines the proposed dates for the initiative are between May 23 and June 12.

The legislation will also clamp down on metal theft, the purchase of alcohol to give to young people and licensing regimes for lap dancing venues.

The report, prepared for the council by Police Scotland, says: "The introduction of the new act has implications in terms of training for officers and will place a large number of extra administrative tasks upon our licensing department.

"In addition, a visiting regime of all of the above premises will require to be undertaken."

The Scottish Government pledged to introduce the licensing scheme following the death of Glasgow toddler Andrew Morton, who was shot dead by an airgun in 2005.