Greater Manchester Police urges the public to 'open its eyes' to knives

Did you spot the knife hidden in this wall?

Greater Manchester Police has released photographs of hidden blades as part of a knife crime awareness campaign.

The Open Your Eyes To Knives initiative is the force's response to the rise in knife crime.

Visitors to GMP's social media platforms are being asked to "spot the knife" hidden in a number of images.

Police said criminals were stashing knives in public places to avoid being caught in possession.

Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts said: "It's a sad fact that people are not only carrying knives, but are now also hiding weapons in and around public places and that can be very worrying for members of the public."

Police want the public to become more aware of spotting weapons hidden in public places and issued two images showing a knife hidden in a wall and in a bush where they are almost impossible to spot.

Police also released images of a knife concealed in some shrubbery

Mr Potts added: "The more knives that are on the streets only leads to one outcome - more people getting hurt - and we are determined to act to stop these implements getting into the wrong hands."

It is part of Operation Scepter - a national week of action to combat knife crime.

There will also be an increase in patrols, hotspot targeting and stop and search, police said.

Sajid Javid called for knife crime to be treated "like a disease" after meeting police chiefs from seven forces that are most affected by violent crime, including Manchester.

Both police funding and stop-and-search powers were discussed, Mr Javid said.

Two 17-year-olds were killed in separate stabbings in London and Greater Manchester earlier this month.

Jodie Chesney was killed in an east London park as she played music with friends, and Yousef Ghaleb Makki was stabbed to death in the village of Hale Barns, near Altrincham.