The US Supreme Court has declined to put a temporary hold on an Illinois law that bans the sale of assault-style weapons and a variety of other guns and accessories.

The law will require existing owners of the restricted items to register them by 1 January.

A gun rights group and the owner of a gun shop have sued to stop the implementation of the law.

Their case has consistently been rebuffed by lower courts.

The legislation took effect in January and sales of the restricted guns were stopped immediately.