The knife amnesty held last week by Devon and Cornwall Police saw more than 200 knives of varying types being handed in at police stations across the force area.

Officers said the variety of knives was ’staggering’ – from small pocket knives and illegal lock knives to commando and Nepalese kukri-type knives, along with a random assortment of knives found in a typical kitchen. 

Weapons handed in included ornate fantasy-type knives, a variety of swords, machetes and even a ’nasty’ umbrella sword, where the handle pulls out to reveal a long spike, as used by the Penguin character in Batman, but none of the zombie-type knives highlighted by police in declaring the amnesty.

Acting Detective Superintendent Ben Deer said: ’I’m really pleased with the response we’ve had.  Clearly people have taken this opportunity to hand these potentially dangerous items in which will now be safely destroyed.’