Just 41 knives were handed in across Lancashire Police’s Southern Division which includes West Lancashire during a fortnightly long amnesty.

The force held the surrender as part of a national initiative to tackle knife crime and to remove weapons from Lancashire’s streets; sixty eight knives were handed in across Lancashire.

Among the weapons given up in the Southern Division were combat knives, kitchen knives and large blades, and officers will now safely dispose of all of the items that were handed in.

Test purchasing operations were also carried out as part of the action against knife crime, with the force using police cadet volunteers to check on businesses selling knives or blades. The majority of premises across the county were compliant, the few that failed are now working with officers and trading standards to resolve the issues, improve their standards and amend the training that staff receive whilst working for them.

Despite the surrender coming to an end, police say people can continue to hand in any knife at any police station.

Ch. Insp. Mark Baines said: “I would still like to appeal to youngsters that carrying a knife doesn’t offer them protection, and not only is being in possession of a knife in a public place a criminal offence, young people are also more likely to be stabbed and seriously injured with their own weapon.”

Young people are encouraged to log onto the Trust Ed website – www.trusted2know.co.uk - to find out more about knife crime and the dangers of carrying a knife on Lancashire’s streets.