A KNIFE amnesty will be taking place across Devon and Cornwall.

The amnesty, organised by Devon and Cornwall Police, gives people the chance to safely hand in potentially dangerous weapons. 

It will run from Tuesday November 15 until Monday 21.

The initiative has been prompted by the recent legislation that now prohibits the sale or importation of ‘zombie knives’.

Police want to give people the opportunity to hand these shocking weapons in, along with any other unwanted knives, to take them out of circulation, avoiding them ending up in the wrong hands.

‘Zombie knives’ which tend to have a serrated edge and can be up to around 60cm in length are inspired by horror films and have been advertised as collectors’ items.

Freely available on the internet, there is a concern these could end up in the hands of criminals.

Acting Detective Superintendent Ben Deer said: “These zombie knives can cause devastating damage and glamorise violence.

"I would urge anyone who has obtained one of these weapons to take this opportunity to hand it in.

"Knife crime is relatively low in Devon and Cornwall and we do not want to see these weapons being used by criminals or in acts of violence as we have seen in other parts of the country.”

Special red collection bins will be located at all police enquiry offices – for a list of locations visit www.dc.police.uk/peo 

D/Supt Deer added: “This amnesty is for any kind of knife, not just zombie-type knives.

"If you possess a potentially dangerous knife that has no legitimate use in your home, hobby or profession, please use this opportunity to get rid of it.

“Knives are deadly weapons and someone carrying a knife is much more likely to get stabbed themselves as situations with weapons can quickly get out of control.”

If someone is caught with a knife without good reason they will be arrested and prosecuted.

Self-protection is not considered a reasonable excuse for carrying an offensive weapon.