POLICE officers in Wiltshire were issued with guns during 63 operations in 2003/04. This compares to 58 in 2002/03 and 45 in 2001/02.

But the figures released by Home Office minister Caroline Flint

show the force is still not having to send armed officers to as many

incidents as it did in 2000/01, when guns were issued 66 times.

And the force's Armed Response Vehicles have only been deployed 28 times in the last 12 months compared to 48 in 2000/01.

The findings come only days after annual Home Office crime statistics showed that gun crime has fallen by 12 per cent in the last year.

Across England and Wales, police fired conventional guns just eight times in 12 months, which covered just four incidents.

However, rubber bullets were fired on 15 occasions and stun guns were used a further 13 times.

Yesterday's statistics do not include the number of times firearms or stun guns were discharged by Wiltshire officers during the last four years.

Home Office ministers did not comment on the figures.