Police install knife bins in Blackpool and Fleetwood as part of ongoing campaign to keep knives off the streets

A total of six knife bins have been installed in Blackpool and Fleetwood to give residents a "legal and safe way to surrender knives and bladed items."

Any knives deposited in the knife bins will be destroyed unless they show signs of being used in a crime.

The new bins are among 16 containers to be located in busy, well-lit areas across the county as part of Lancashire Constabulary’s ongoing work to keep knives off the streets.

Chf Insp Steve Anderton, Knife Crime Lead at Lancashire Violence Reduction Unit said: “Knives and sharp objects are present in everyone’s home and are easily picked up by children and young people.

"Providing a safe facility for dealing with unwanted knives is just one of many ways we can come together with communities to keep knives off our streets and protect young people.

“Anyone who has a knife or bladed weapon can dispose of it in the knife bins where it will be taken away and destroyed.

"We want to keep knives off the streets and keep our young people safe and providing a way for people to dispose of bladed items helps us to do that.”

The new facilities come after Lancashire Constabulary secured government funding to help tackle increased knife crime.

Clive Grunshaw, Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner said: “Knives can have a tragic impact on people’s lives as a consequence of them being used as weapons.

"I fully support the public health approach to violent crime and that we need to work across our communities and organisations to make Lancashire a safer place, something which Lancashire Violent Reduction Unit is working hard to do.

"Knife bins provide a key focal point which encourage people to dispose of them safely and help make our streets safer, whilst acting as a reminder that carrying a knife is illegal, and you will be arrested and prosecuted if you are caught with one.

"Tackling crime and reoffending, particularly violent crime, is a key priority for us in Lancashire.

"We continue to lose too many young lives to serious violence and it’s crucial that all parts of our society work together to tackle it head-on and make our communities safer."

The four new knife bins in Blackpool are located at Claremont Community Centre on Egerton Road, The Grange on Dinmore Avenue, Blackpool Boys and Girls Club on Bowness Avenue and Amazing Graze on Bolton Street.

In Fleetwood, the two knife bins can be found on London Street and at Milton Street Youth Centre.

A spokesperson for Lancashire Police said: "The knife bins have been placed in consultation with local community safety partnerships in locations where we believe they will have the most impact.

"These locations form a pilot which will be evaluated by academics over time to understand whether they are in the right location."

If you have any information about knife crime in Lancashire, contact police on lancahire.police.uk/reportonline or call 101.

Alternatively, independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.