POLICE will allow people to hand over illegal blades permanently after a successful amnesty.

In September of last year, officers were handed more than 600 knives as part of a Greater Manchester-wide scheme to take weapons off the streets.

The items handed over included Samurai swords, Kukris, wire cutters and kitchen knives.

The project’s success has encouraged GMP to start a “forever amnesty”, with permanent drop-off bins placed in police stations around the region.

These will allow people to dispose of knives in a safe and anonymous way.

“We were delighted, and a little surprised with the results of September’s week-long amnesty, as we didn’t expect so many knives to be deposited,” said GMP Superintendent Chris Downey.

“I want to take this opportunity to reiterate that this kind of violence has no place on our streets, and it will not be tolerated. Deploying permanent amnesty bins is just one of the many steps we are taking in our fight against knife crime.

"A large part of our work is out in our communities with young people, educating them on the impact knives can have not just on individuals, but on families and communities.

"Our aim is to understand why people are carrying knives and work to dispel the myth that knives are essential to keeping you safe.”

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Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester Bev Hughes added: “The forever amnesty is one of a number of things we are doing to reduce violent crime across the city-region. Through the Violence Reduction Unit, the police, local authorities, youth services, health, education and schools, as well as other criminal justice partners, are working together to embed a community-led approach to prevention and enforcement.”