Blade carriers in South Gloucestershire urged to use knife amnesty bins

Knife amnesty bins have been placed in parts of the Bristol area covered by South Gloucestershire Council

People who illegally carry knives have been urged to put them into a county's knife amnesty bins anonymously.

South Gloucestershire Council now has bins located in Patchway, Staple Hill and Kingswood.

It says type of bladed article can be wrapped and put inside without question or fear of prosecution.

Council figures show seven out of 10 young people who end up in A&E with a knife injury have been stabbed with their own knife.

The South Gloucestershire Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), part of the council's wider Community Safety Team, is working alongside Avon and Somerset Police - which is currently using its targeted Operation Sceptre to reduce the number of weapons in circulation.

Philippa Isbell, Acting Service Director for Safer Communities said the group was "committed to putting an end to knife crime".

"And [we] are working with young people in South Gloucestershire to educate, inform and engage with them about the dangers of carrying a knife," she added.

Ms Isbell said "encouraging progress" was being made, and thanked everyone who had surrendered a knife or stopped carrying one.

'It could save a live'

The council said figures show between 2017-18 knife crime and possession increased by 53% in the Avon and Somerset Police area.

The rise has slowed dramatically since the pandemic with latest figures showing a reduction of 0.3% with possession offences also down from last quarter, from 10.2% to 4.2%.

Parents and carers are also being encouraged to help continue the reduction by sharing information and advice and asking any young people in their household to complete the councils knife crime survey.

"My message to anyone carrying a knife is to take advantage of this opportunity to dispose of it safely and anonymously in one of the amnesty bins provided," Ms Isbell said.

"It could save someone's life; including your own."