IN JUST one week more than 350 knives were deposited in bins across the county as part of the knife amnesty on Cheshire streets.
In Wilmslow alone, a number of lethal weapons have been left in specially designed bins near the Bollin Fee, Wilmslow Police Station and Tesco at Handforth Dean since the amnesty began on Wednesday May 24.
Town centre officer, PC Andy Murray, said it was clear that some of the knives, including a bladed knuckle-duster, had no other purpose than to cause injury.
However other items including a khukri, used by Ghurka tribes since the seventh century BC, were more unusual.
He commented: "This is a weapon of war and really belongs in a museum."
With the number of knife related incidents recorded by Cheshire police last year topping 700, the national amnesty is encouraging everybody to take responsibility for the number of knives and blades in the community.
Assistant Chief Constable David Baines said the response from Cheshire citizens to the police's call to hand in their knives and blades had been encouraging.
He commented: "In the first week alone, members of the public have placed into the amnesty bins based around the area a total of 372 knives, blades and other weapons.
"Each one of the items handed in means there is one less knife or blade on the street that could potentially be used to commit a crime.
"We want to encourage as many people as possible to be community minded by taking these weapons off our streets.
"Members of the public have already responded to the amnesty but we are asking them to tell their friends and family that they have until the end of June to get rid of their knives and blades, disposing of them now could save a life in the future.
"Taking these weapons out of circulation can help to protect those people closest to you from becoming a victim or offending because they routinely carry a blade."
Although many kitchen knives can be lethal the police are specifically appealing to the public to hand in specialist knives and blades such as combat knives, butterfly and flick knives to make Cheshire a safer place live.
PC Baines added: "This is your chance to take them out of circulation and stop them falling not the wrong hands."
Carrying a knife in public with a blade more than three inches long is illegal.
Individuals who dispose of knives during the amnesty have nothing to fear from the police, as the amnesty is anonymous and weapons handed in will not be forensically tested.
Knives can be disposed of at Wilmslow Police Station from Monday to Friday between 8am and 8pm and at weekends from 8am to 4pm and at Tesco Handforth Dean, seven days a week, 24 hours except Sunday until 4pm.
