Nearly a fifth of men know how to get their hands on a gun, according to a new survey. (Full story here)
The equivalent of five million people, or 18 per cent of men, claimed they knew how to get hold of an illegal firearm, while one in eight said they knew someone who had such a weapon, or had owned one in the past.
The research was part of a think tank report, Gun and Knife Crime in Great Britain, which claims gun culture has now affected not just lower income groups but all sections of society in all parts of the country.
Policy Exchange, who commissioned the research, also found more than 40 per cent of Londoners feel they or their immediate family are at risk of gun and knife crime.
Some 42 per cent surveyed by YouGov also believe they are at risk compared to a national figure of 29 per cent. More than half of Londoners (56 per cent) said they felt less safe as a result of gun and knife crime than they did five years ago.
Research director Gavin Lockhart, said: "It is clear that it is no longer just hardened criminals who have access to guns or deprived inner city communities which are affected by them.
"Britain's gun culture has become so endemic it affects huge swathes of the population, with millions of people saying they know how to get hold of illegal firearms and millions more feeling personally threatened by them.
"It is no surprise that gun crime casualties have quadrupled in the past decade, or that voters are demanding the Government take a far more hardline stance."
A Home Office spokesman said: "The Government is committed to tackling gun crime and understands the fear it spreads within our communities.
"However, it is important to remember that the chances of becoming a victim of gun crime remain extremely low - particularly for those living outside certain urban hotspots."
Nationally, the poll of more than 2,000 adults in England, Wales and Scotland showed nearly half (45 per cent) believed their area was less safe than it was five years ago due to gun and knife crime.
Even in rural areas, 23 per cent of residents said they or their family were at risk.
On Sunday, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced that £1m would be spent on a specialist national police unit and a ministerial task force to combat gun crime.
The poll was conducted by YouGov on behalf of Policy Exchange between 3 and 5 September.
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