A total of 20 knives have been surrendered in Watford as part of a national amnesty.

Hertfordshire Constabulary is in the midst of Operation Sceptre, a campaign that aims to reduce the number of knives on the UK’s streets.

Police disclosed that between September 18 and 20, more than 60 blades had been handed in at Watford, Hatfield and Stevenage police stations.

In Watford, around 20 items - primarily kitchen knives - were deposited anonymously in designated bins at the station.

During the last knife amnesty - run between February 12 and 18 earlier this year, 43 knives were collected at Watford.

Inspector Andrew Palfreyman from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Crime Reduction and Community Safety Team said: “I encourage people to take this opportunity to safely get rid of unwanted or illegal knives and bladed weapons, at the designated Hertfordshire police stations between now and the end of the Operation Sceptre knife amnesty. Together we can #StopKnifeCrime”.

The campaign will run until September 24, until which knives can be surrendered without any fear of prosecution. People with knives can call 101 and arrange for an officer to collect any objects from their homes, or hand them in at any of the three appointed stations.