A survivor of the Aurora, Colorado cinema massacre is fronting a new campaign to urge U.S. leaders to address gun control in America.

Stephen Barton was shot in the face when a gunman opened fire on film fans during a screening of The Dark Knight Rises on 20 July (12).

He shows off his wounds in a new Mayors Against Illegal Guns ad, in which President Barack Obama and his presidential opponent Mitt Romney are asked to raise the subject of gun control in their first televised debate, which takes place in Colorado this week (03Oct12).

In the ad, brave Barton states: "This past summer in a movie theatre in Colorado I was shot, but I was lucky. In the next four years, 48,000 Americans won't be so lucky. Enough to fill over 200 theatres."

Twelve people were killed and 57 others were wounded in the July tragedy.