A new knife surrender bin has been installed in Blackburn to provide a safe and anonymous way for people to dispose of the weapon.
The Lancashire Violence Reduction Network, which is supported by Lancashire Police have already seen thousands of knives handed in each year countywide.
Weapons deposited are collected and safely destroyed by police, preventing them from being used in crime.
Located outside Ladbrokes in Railway Road it hopes to have the positive impact of other bins across the county.
Sergeant Michael Johnson, from Lancashire’s Violence Reduction Network, said: “Knife crime is a national issue, but it is important to stress that Blackburn, like the rest of Lancashire, remains a safe place to live and work.
“These knife bins are a simple but effective way to remove dangerous weapons from our streets and prevent them from falling into the wrong hands.
"Every knife surrendered is potentially a life saved.”
In Blackburn with Darwen, the number of knife offences has grown from only 48 in 2019 to 66 by 2023, with 234 incidents recorded across East Lancashire.
Since 2021, Lancashire Police has received increased equipment and funding to put more officers on the streets to tackle knife crime.
This had led to a boost in existing and new activity such as knife arches and wands which are being used by officers at targeted days, times and locations to find and remove knives from people who are carrying them.
Test purchasing is also being carried out by the trading standards team and police officers to ensure shops are selling knives lawfully.
There are currently knife bins in Blackburn, Darwen, Accrington, Newchurch, Burnley and Nelson.
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