VISIT a record store this weekend and on the shelves will be a picture of a baseball cap-clad young boy pointing a gun.

The stark image is the cover for the new single Guns Don't Kill People, Rappers Do by the British rap group Goldie Lookin Chain.

The track ridicules the belief that rap music causes violence.

Yet regulars of the pop charts such as Eminem, 50 Cent and Outkast are being blamed for glamorising guns and helping to make them a fashion accessory on Scotland's streets.

Yesterday, youths carrying imitation guns were warned that they risk being shot by armed police officers as the number of firearm incidents rose by more than 25% this year.

Strathclyde Police gave the warning after revealing how difficult it was to tell the difference between a genuine 9mm pistol and a plastic toy gun.

New figures show that the Strathclyde force received 1077 reports about guns being carried in the street in the first four months of this financial year, up 29% from 837 for the same period last year. The vast majority of the incidents involved youths and children.

The number of weapons seized over the same period has risen from 40 to 45.

It is feared that the trend for carrying guns, real or otherwise, has been partly stimulated through the influence of some R&B artists who rap about the use of guns in their music.

Scottish ministers expressed concern in the wake of the police stance that more and more youngsters believe that gun possession is ''cool''.

''We accept that one of the reasons presented for an increase in gun carrying among young people is the symbolism that the gun holds in certain types of rap music,'' said an executive spokesman.

''For a minority of people, particularly young people, there is a belief that carrying a gun confers power and status. It does nothing of the sort. It is a criminal act and one which threatens public safety.''

David Blunkett, the home secretary, said last year that he was concerned that young people were being unduly influenced by the lyrics in some music, and were carrying weapons for self-protection or as a means of gaining respect.

His comments came after listening to an excerpt from U Don't Know by radio-friendly US rap artist, Jay-Z who in 2001, pleaded guilty to stabbing a record producer.

Many contemporary rap artists who are regulars in the pop charts such as Eminem, 50 Cent and Outkast carry strong gun culture references in songs.

Tupac Shakur, one of hip hop's most controversial and popular figures in the 1990s, lived by the gun and died by the gun after being shot in September 1996.

Inspector Alan Gall, head of Strathclyde Police's firearms department, said parents had to wake up to what their children could be faced with if they carry any type of gun.

''We do understand the difficulties in educating children but they have to know what will happen if their children are running around with imitation firearms.''

Gun references in R&B tracks

50 Cent's Bump Dat Street Mix ''My son ask, 'Daddy why carry a gun, you ain't a cop'; Looked at him and said, 'Sometimes you gotta shoot or get shot'.''

Tupac's Five Deadly Venomz ''I got a Glock (pistol) that say 'Pac run the block ; My gauge gets me PAID'.''

Jay Z's U Don't Know ''Ya'll nervous knowin' them guns on full service, ready to fire; One body, two body, three body, four I'm above the law.''

Outkast's Ain't No Thang ''The Glock, the gat, the nine, the heaters; See I be bustin caps like my amp be bustin speakers; So how do you figure that Big Boi be scared to blast ya ''

Eminem's Sing for the Moment:

''See what these kids do is hear about us totin' pistols; And they want to get one cuz they think the ***** cool; Not knowin' we really just protectin' ourselves, we entertainers, Of course the ***** affectin' our sales, you ignoramus ''