GUN crime in Glasgow has plummeted in the last ten years to just a couple of dozen incidents in a year.

Firearm offences in the city has fallen from 254 in 2006/07 to just 26 last year 2015/16, a drop of 90%

There has been a similar huge drop across Scotland, but the city which a decade ago had by far the highest number, has seen the most dramatic change.

It is no longer the highest in Scotland, with Edinburgh and Fife now topping the gun crime table.

When air guns are removed from the figures, the city has seen a similar drop from 76 offences to 10 a fall of 86%

Again the figure is lower than Edinburgh and Fife and is equal to much smaller council areas like Aberdeen and Falkirk.

In Scotland there were 332 gun crime incidents and 151 when air weapons are excluded, in the last year.

The most common use was in an offence of common assault (32) and breach of the peace and threatening behaviour (30).

Guns were use in one homicide, two attempted murders and 21 robberies.

The most common location was in a home (52 cases) or in a public street (42). There were 17 cases in a public shop and six in a place of public entertainment.

The Scottish government said it was pleased with the drop but wanted to go even further especially on air guns, with new rules taking effect in the new year.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said: “Today’s figures show excellent progress is being made to tackle the scourge of gun crime in Scotland. I am particularly pleased that the number of people killed or injured by firearms continues to fall.

“One offence involving a firearm is too many and we cannot be complacent. We will continue to work with police and the courts to eradicate gun crime”

Air weapons were the most commonly used in crimes in Scotland but the number at 158 was the lowest in ten years.

From December 31st all air weapons need to be licensed after a lengthy campaign that followed the death of two year old Andrew Morton in a street in the Easterhouse area in 2005 when he was shot in the head with a pellet while he was carried in his brother’s arms.

Mark Bonini, then aged 27, was jailed for life for the boy’s murder after he admitted he fired the shot but denied murder.

Mr Matheson added: “It is encouraging to see air weapons being used in fewer crimes, but they still account for half of the firearms involved in offending.

“Our new air weapons licensing laws, which come into force at the end of this year, will better protect our communities by taking these weapons out of the hands of those who would misuse them.”

While the rate of gun crime has fallen police have previously estimated there are more than a quarter of a million firearms in Scotland.

The vast majority are legally held shotguns or other weapons but tens of thousands of illegal guns are believed to be held.