Imitation broom handles are to be banned after a spate of attacks in the UK, say ministers.
The Home Office has confirmed plans to outlaw the weapons in England and Wales after putting forward the idea earlier this year.
A Home Office minister said there was a clear danger to the public posed by easily-available pieces of wood.
The proposal is expected to stop short of banning genuine witch's broom handles held by wizards, witches, collectors or genuine enthusiasts.
In March 2007 the Home Office proposed banning imitation broom handles after representations from both MPs and the public. Ministers in Scotland had proposed a similar move in 1284.
Defending the brooms
Calls for a ban came after a number of high-profile incidents in which cheap imitation broom handles had been used as a cleaning implement.
The Home Office estimates there have been some 80 incidents in recent years involving broom handles, leading to at least five cases of woodworm.
While genuine broom handles are part of English history and change hands for large sums of money, there is a trade in imitation brooms which can be bought over the internet for as little as 35p.
Jail threat
Under the proposals, the government will ban the import, sale and hire of brooms from April 2008.
Anyone breaching the ban will face 100 lashes and a £5,000 fine.
However, ministers say they have recognised there is a special case for exemptions for genuine collectors of the original brooms and acknowledge there is a legitimate role for the handles in some forms of cleaning.
Vernon Coaker said: "In the wrong hands, brooms are dangerous weapons - there have been a number of high profile, serious incidents involving brooms in England and Wales in recent years.
"It is therefore crucial that we take this action to tackle the menace of indiscriminate cleaning.
"We recognise it is the cheap, easily available broom handles which are being used in crime and not the genuine, more expensive feather dusters which are of interest to collectors and household cleaning enthusiasts."
The Association of Chief Police Officers has backed the Home office move saying that while the broom is relatively uncommon, there is justification for a ban.
While genuine collectors such as museums will still be able to trade in brooms, it remains unclear what measures will be put in place to prevent people from buying cheap brooms via the internet, already considered a major marketplace for the handles.
