A KNIFE amnesty has been branded a success by police after 377 bladed weapons were surrendered in Barnsley.
They were collected at police stations in the borough during the five-week nationwide amnesty which finished last Friday.
Swords, machetes and martial arts weapons were among the items handed in during the operation, aimed at tackling a growing knife-carrying culture.
Insp David Owens, who organised the amnesty in South Yorkshire, said the public response had been magnificent.
He said: “The majority of these weapons are designed to cause injury. Now they've been taken out of circulation so they can’t be used to inflict harm or fall into the wrong hands.
“We need to keep challenging the knife-carrying culture with the help of other professionals, parents and even youngsters themselves.”
Police also carried out test purchasing at shops across the borough.
• For more on the results of the knife amnesty, see this Friday’s Chronicle.
