My mate Lynda (the one who came to Wembley with me in May) is the secretary of our local Amateur Dramatics society, and is playing the wicked queen in the panto. (she's made for the part!!)
At some point in the panto, she's got a gun and shoots someone or at someone (I assume, I haven't seen any of it) and the gun is made out of wood, and a sound effect from somewhere else makes the bang sound.
The manager of the Priory Centre where the panto's being put on phoned Lynda last night and told her that she needs a license for the gun.
It's made of wood.
It won't fire ANYTHING, let alone a bullet.
Her friend is a DCI in the Met., and told her that if she were to go to the police and ask for a license, she'd be cautioned for wasting police time.
The local councillor she talked to about it earlier on today commented that it was just as well it's not true, or we'd need Firearms Licenses for hardware shops, fences, trees, etc....
Sometimes I really wonder....