More than 1,100 knives and bladed weapons have been handed in to police and subsequently destroyed in just over 12 months.

Knife amnesty bins were installed at four different locations across East Lancashire in February last year, allowing people to anonymously deposit unwanted knives under an initiative aimed at cutting down violent crime and reducing the number of weapons on the streets.

The safe and secure containers were installed at Darwen Police Station, Union Street, Darwen; Calico Homes, Croft Street, Burnley; Valley Street Community Centre, Burnley; and Waterfoot Police Station, Bacup Road, Waterfoot.

Since then, police say they've been overwhelmed with the number of weapons surrendered, with one knife bin proving more popular than any other across the whole county - with bladed articles such as machetes and hunting knives being among the items handed over.

The knife bin at Waterfoot has had quite a few weapons handed in

The knife bin at Waterfoot has had quite a few weapons handed in

Posting photographs on their social media page on Friday, a spokesperson for Rossendale police said: "The knife bin at Waterfoot is now just over a year old and here are some of the weapons surrendered from emptying it yesterday (Thursday).

"It's the best used bin in the county by an absolute mile and so far we have recovered and destroyed over 1,100 sharp or bladed items.

"Yesterday we also emptied a tin opener, a cheese grater and a large spoon but in the main the bin is being used for exactly what it was designed for.

"Grate (excuse the pun and for those within our grammar Police Department - the spelling is deliberate) work Rossendale in getting these items out of harms way."