THE number of occasions when police in West Mercia were sent out with guns fell dramatically last year.

According to new Government figures, the number of operations where firearms were authorised was only 36.

This compares to 110 in the previous 12 months and 139 in 1999, according to Police Minister John Denham.

The number of operations involving armed response vehicles also slumped - from 99 and 98 in 1999 and 2000 to 26 last year.

Yet the number of officers authorised to use firearms increased by one to 130 in the year ending April 2001, the latest period for which figures are available.

Last year, Home Secretary David Blunkett ordered a review of the use of armed police after 12 fatal shootings of members of the public in six years.

And he brought forward plans to issue police forces with tranquilliser guns, to be used instead of firearms

The "non-lethal" guns - similar to those used to bring down wild animals - are designed to be used where a suspect does not appear to have a real gun.

The Home Office also asked police to investigate the use of stun guns as a "third way" between using batons and guns.

The guns cause temporary paralysis, but are controversial because they have been classified as "equipment used for torture" by the Ministry of Defence.

Some police forces are known to fear that issuing them with different types of weaponry will lead to confusion in very tense situations.

Across England and Wales, the number of operations involving firearms fell slightly from 11,842 in 1997/8 to 11,109 last year.