MORE THAN 50 knives have been handed in as part of a week-long amnesty drive by Avon and Somerset Police.

The initiative was part of Operation Sceptre, a nationwide effort tackling knife crime using a range of different tactics including amnesty bins, education, targeted patrols of hotspot areas and test purchases.

As part of the amnesty, which ran across last week, bins were made available in the front offices of the main police stations and buildings in the region – with a total of 59 blades being deposited during the week.

The force’s lead on knife crime, chief inspector Zoe Chegwyn, said: “Our focus throughout the week was very much on education – going into schools and delivering hard hitting workshops which brought home the impact knives can have not just on individuals but on families and communities.

“We want to dispel the myth that knives are somehow cool and highlight that they are potentially extremely dangerous weapons and being in possession of one can carry a prison sentence of up to four years even if it's not used.

“The amnesty bins were another element of the campaign, the purpose of which was to offer people the chance to surrender any knives or bladed weapons without fear of prosecution.

“The response we have had to the whole operation has been great – we have taken a large amount of weapons off our streets and prevented them from getting into the wrong hands or used to cause harm or distress and hopefully reduced the number of young people carrying knives."