More than 350 knives taken off the streets as part of amnesty organised by police

Some of the blades handed in were collectors' items.

Northumbria Police’s contribution to Operation Sceptre – a national effort to clamp down on knife crime – saw a total of 364 weapons taken into police possession through the combination of voluntary surrenders, visits to collectors and enforced seizures in the North East.

During the week, officers carried out 26 weapons sweeps and visited 39 separate schools to educate pupils about the risks which come with carrying a knife, and visited dozens of antique weapons collectors and enthusiasts.

The initiative has been praised by Assistant Chief Constable Neil Hutchison.

He said: “There is no doubt that knife crime ruins lives, which is why we are determined to educate the public, and in particular young people, about the consequences which come with carrying a weapon.

“Our stance on knife crime and serious violence is unequivocal – it has absolutely no place in our region.”

He added: “This week of action has been extremely successful and we want to thank the public for their cooperation.

“It’s been pleasing to see so many people use our surrender bins.

"We know the majority of people would never dream of carrying these items around with them but they will now never run the risk of falling into the wrong hands.”

Anyone with information about someone who is in possession of a prohibited weapon, can contact Northumbria Police on the force website’s Tell Us Something or report it to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111