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A knife amnesty bin has been set up at Blackwood Police Station in an attempt to deter knife crime.

Throughout this week, Gwent Police is running a knife amnesty campaign – encouraging people in possession of dangerous weapons to get rid of them anonymously – and without the risk of prosecution.

The campaign is part of Operation Sceptre – a regular nationwide event aimed at raising awareness of and tackling knife crime.

The bins will be open each day this week between 9am and 1pm, and again between 2pm and 4pm.

Bins will also be open at police stations in Newport, Monmouth, Ebbw Vale and Cwmbran.

People surrendering their knives have been asked to package the blade before placing them in the bins so they can be removed safely.

Police officers will also be carrying out patrols and delivering presentations at school to raise awareness of the impact of knife crime, as well as visiting shops as part of its responsible sellers scheme.

The scheme, set up in Caerphilly County Borough in 2021, aims to ensure retailers aren’t selling knives to people under the age of 18.

Inspector Richard Tovey said: “Every knife taken off the streets is another life potentially saved, which is why we’re encouraging people to make use of our amnesty bins at our stations and dispose of dangerous or unwanted knives.

“We’ll be visiting schools to talk to pupils. Speaking to them at a young age shows them the risks that knives pose in our communities and ultimately deters offending.

“Although we focus on knife crime during Operation Sceptre, tackling knife crime is part of everyday policing.”

He continued: “Our officers regularly carry out intelligence-led patrols to deter offending and highlight those who may commit a violent crime.

“There are no excuses as to why someone should carry a knife and anyone found to be carrying a knife, no matter the reason, will be stopped and the weapon will be seized and removed from our streets.”