Yet air guns and BB guns are still widely available across Scotland and, despite certain age restrictions, are clearly getting into the hands of children.

A 13-year-old boy has been referred to the Children’s Panel following an incident last Wednesday in which a teenage girl was “repeatedly” shot with a ball-bearing gun as she walked in the Douglas area.

One pellet struck the girl, who is 15, directly in the eye and doctors have since warned her she may never fully recover her sight.

The uproar caused by the incident has once again focused attention on the issue of air guns, with many people asking why they are so readily available in our shops.

In a special investigation, the Tele looks at how widely available pellet guns are and what can be done to stop their misuse.

It took our reporter less than 30 minutes to locate a store that sells the dangerous weapons and purchase one for less than £5.

Even for that price the gun packed an extremely powerful punch, projecting plastic pellets out at a force that would cause serious damage to anyone that came into contact with them.

Furthermore, we have learned a shop in Douglas, where the incident involving the 15yearold girl occurred, was selling a range of BB guns prior to the episode. They have all since been withdrawn from the shelves.

Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick said the risk of injury posed by the guns is so great that he is convinced immediate steps must now be taken to get them off the streets.

“The serious damage that can be done by these pellet guns is all too obvious and they can be life-threatening,” he said. “Yet the Scottish Government is unable to deal with these crimes effectively because the power to legislate on air guns is retained by Westminster.

“Air gun offences are a much more serious issue in Scotland than in the rest of the UK and the Scottish Government has made the case strongly over the last two years that we must be given the power to legislate and control licensing of these weapons and their availability.

“UK Government legislation differs widely in its treatment of real guns and weapons such as BB pellet guns and air guns, which can also cause injuries every bit as life-threatening as ‘real’ guns.

“We want the power here in Scotland to look at a wide range of options to deal effectively with the issue of inappropriate use of air guns and BB pellet guns.”

Dundee West’s Labour MP Jim McGovern said he would also support a ban on the weapons, but said there would need to be some exceptions.

“It is obviously a tragedy what happened to that girl. I would certainly support a ban, but there would need to be some exceptions made — for farmers for example, who have a legitimate reason to use them.

“However, it is ridiculous they are being sold to teenagers and something should be done about that.”

But Mr McGovern added the SNP had promised to tackle the problem prior to coming to power and could not simply blame the Home Office for their failure.

“The usual excuse of a big boy in London did it and ran away just doesn’t cut it,” he said.

While the arguments rumble on between politicians, however, BB guns and air guns remain widely available.

Any future solution that might be found to the problem will come too late for the young girl from Dundee who this week has been battling to keep her sight.