Force urges public to hand in zombie-style knives

Zombie-style knives and machetes can be handed into stations across the county - owners are being advised how to package them up before doing so

Owners of zombie-style knives and machetes are being urged to hand them into Warwickshire Police ahead of a ban next month.

The force said the knives could be surrendered at any police station in the county between 26 August and 23 September.

However, to apply for £10 compensation from the Home Office, items must be handed into one of the four main stations: Rugby, Nuneaton, Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon.

The weapons will be banned from 24 September under legislation to tackle knife crime in England and Wales.

Zombie-style knives and machetes are defined as weapons with blades over eight inches (20cm) in length that normally have a serrated cutting edge.

They may also have more than one hole in the blade or multiple sharp points like spikes, said police.

A loophole meaning the weapons could be kept and sold if they did not have images depicting violence on their handles will be closed when the Offensive Weapons Act comes into effect next month.

Ch Supt Emma Bastone from the force said: "There is no good reason for anyone to keep one of these zombie-style weapons in their home – they have no cultural, historic, artistic, or practical value, and their implied purpose is generally for intimidation or harm."

She added police accepted some people may have bought them in better faith but should now realise this was an error and hand them in.

The government said anybody who freely gave up their weapon before the law came into effect would not be arrested or prosecuted.

Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson said the ban was the first step in the government's plan to halve knife crime in a decade.

Participants in the surrender scheme can contact police stations for advice on how to package up the items and bring them in safely.

The Warwickshire stations included for compensation are:

• Rugby Police Station on Newbold Road, Rugby

• Leamington Police Station at Warwickshire Justice Centre, Newbold Terrace

• Stratford Police Station on Rother Street, Stratford-upon-Avon

• Nuneaton Police Station on Vicarage Street, Nuneaton