MORE than 300 knives were placed in amnesty bins in Greater Manchester since the start of the year.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) put temporary amnesty bins in locations in the region since January 1.

They have now been replaced by permanent bins, which are positioned in 10 police, stations as part of the force's forever knife amnesty scheme.

When the temporary bins were emptied it was found that there were more than 300 blades.

The new permanent bins can be accessed at any time of the day or night to allow anyone to leave a knife safely and anonymously.

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Sgt Paul Nolan of GMP’s Violence Reduction Unit said: “We are sharing images of knives not to frighten people, but to thank those who have taken the time and effort to bring knives into their local stations.

“The bins are out there to encourage anyone who comes across a knife, in any part of their life, whether it has been obtained through a hobby, such as hunting or fishing or anyone who has previously ordered a knife online and now wants to get rid of it.

“The amnesty is not about secrecy, it’s to allow people to bring a knife to a police station where they can deposit it into a bin.

"The purpose is to reduce the number of knives on the streets of Greater Manchester and this is proving to be a safe and secure way of doing this.”