MORE than a hundred knives, swords and other weapons have already been removed from the streets of Crewe and Nantwich following a police amnesty.

They include two 'fantasy' weapons, which Police Officers say they are particularly glad to have taken off the streets.

One was a double bladed dagger with a central handle.

Detective Sergeant Dave Jones said, "It was brought into Nantwich police station by a man who had found it.

"We can't think of any reasonable use for it, and it would make a formidable weapon.

"In fact, it is similar to one which was used in a murder in Middlewich."

The other, handed in at Crewe, is a large broad-bladed sword with a spiked end, copied from weapons used in the Lord of the Rings films.

Inspector Sue Fraser, head of Crewe's neighbourhood policing unit said: "It is obviously intended to be a souvenir or ornament but in the wrong hands it could do some horrific damage."

Also among the 68 items dropped into the big red amnesty bins at Crewe Police Station were two swords, three kukris - knives used by Gurkha soldiers - hunting knives and machetes.

A machete was also among the 35 items that went into the bin at Nantwich along with some large sheath knives and knives from the Second World War.

Both stations received several large kitchen and garden knives.

Inspector Fraser added: "We have been surprised by how many knives have come in.

"This amnesty has coincided with a number of stabbing incidents across the country. Some of them have been fatal, and they may have influenced people.

"The publicity about those attacks has highlighted the fact some people carry knives around as a matter of routine.

"We will do everything we can to discourage that.

"Every knife we can take out of circulation makes the streets just that little bit safer."