MORE weapons were handed in last week as part of Wycombe's knife amnesty when police took their disposal bins to the streets.

Officers stood outside the shopping parade on Arnison Avenue on Friday evening when a Stanley knife, a ceramic knife, a wooden pole, and three axes were dropped into their bins by residents.

The event was the first of four such evenings where police are visiting different parts of the town to encourage people to give up their weapons.

Swords, machetes, bayonets, gurkha knives and even a meat cleaver have already been handed in since the knife amnesty began on May 24.

But Sergeant Jon Taylor, from High Wycombe Neighbourhood Police Team, emphasised that the amnesty is not just about handing in weapons.

He hopes it will also help raise awareness of the reason why people are carrying knives in the first place.

He said: "We have had six weapons handed in just today. Taking the knives off the street is a good result but it's important to consider why young people are carrying them and to deal with that.

"What I'm hoping to do is to use the knife amnesty to tackle the root cause of knife crime that's what will reduce violent crime in the long run.

"People carry knives when they feel vulnerable such as from bullying or intimidation. So if we can help make them feel safer then there will be less knives around."

He said this can achieved by tackling behaviour problems in schools.

To help explain this approach Jay Blades of Streetdreams, a voluntary group that works closely with young people, is to talk about youth culture, bullying and the motivation behind knife crime at a presentation at BCUC next week.

The presentation, called The Missing Point? is taking place on Wednesday, June 21, from 7pm, and will also include a talk from an A&E doctor about the dangers of knife injuries.

Sgt Taylor said: "People think that if they stab someone in the bum they will not cut them much but there are main arteries there."

Police are taking their bins to the Bowerdean Road crossroads tomorrow, June 14 and on Wednesday, June 28, they will be in Green Street. On Thursday, June 29, they will be in Rutland Avenue.