Dozens of knives are set to be destroyed after being left inside a knife surrender bin. 

Officers from the Swindon North, East and Rural Neighbourhood Policing Team have been out and about this week searching well-known hotspots for hidden knives as part of the force's crackdown on knife crime. 

Searches started on Monday as part of a week of action during the year-long Sceptre campaign, with officers and PCSOs starting in the Eldene area on Monday.

A spokesperson for the neighbourhood policing team said: "Weapons searches were carried out along the paths and parks in Eldene and Liden today – we found three metal poles (and loads of Monster cans) in the undergrowth, but no knives."

But, as part of their search, a knife surrender bin that had been installed at Liden Library last November was checked and it had been discovered that many people had used it. 

"There were plenty of blades in the amnesty box at Liden Library though, so thank you to those who have surrendered these knives, we have sent them to be destroyed."

The Liden Library bin is one of four new knife bins that have been installed in Swindon as part of the Sceptre police initiative attempting to crack down on knife crime.

The other three are at Broadgreen Community Centre, Pinehurst Community Centre and Walcot Dome. 

At the time of their installation,  Swindon Hub Commander, Superintendent Guy Elkins, reassured the public that the bins themselves were very safe.

He said: “The bins are extremely secure and they are tamper-proof, my officers are routinely checking the bins and they are emptied routinely.

“I think our communities are right to be concerned, as a resident within Swindon myself, it is something we think about but I want to reassure our communities that police are challenging this."

Acting Inspector Tristan Winter also explained that preventative measures are always preferred.

He said: “We need to carry on trying hard to identify the triggers and intervening before the young people are getting to the stage where they’re involved in crime."

"However, if these types of crimes are committed, there will be consequences," the officer said.

He added: “We don’t want young people in the criminal justice system but if we must, we will.”