A 17-inch machete was discovered hidden in the bushes of a Swindon play park regularly used by children.

The "shocking" discovery was made by officers from Swindon North, East and Rural Police when conducting knife sweep searches in local parks and recreational grounds.

The searches are regularly carried out by neighbourhood teams across Swindon, and knives are rarely discovered.

But according to police, the machete found next to a play park in North Swindon is proof of why these sweeps are so important.

The machete, shown against a standard 17 inch keyboard for size.The machete, shown against a standard 17 inch keyboard for size. (Image: Wiltshire Police) "Shockingly this machete was hidden under a hedgerow next to a play park in North Swindon," said a spokesperson for Wiltshire Police.

"Though it’s not an every day occurrence, there are knives like this being concealed in our communities which obviously pose a risk to the public, especially when they are found by children.

"We would appeal for people to be vigilant, and call us immediately if they find anything suspicious."

The machete included the Anglo Arms banding on it, and based on similar machetes features on the website, it is estimated to be worth between £15 to £25.