A KNIFE amnesty has been launched by Lancashire Constabulary.

The five-week amnesty is being held to rid the streets of weapons.

People will be able to dispose of knives anonymously, whether it belongs to them, a friend or a relative in one of the force’s 10 amnesty bins.

The nearest to Turton is Greenbank Police Station and residents in Adlington can go to Chorley Police Station.

Asst Ch Con Mark Bates said: “Carrying a knife in public will not be tolerated by Lancashire Constabulary, and the consequences of doing so are potentially devastating.

“We do not have a massive problem with knife crime in Lancashire, but a knife is a lethal weapon and even one on Lancashire’s streets is one too many.

“This amnesty has been launched to proactively remove those weapons from our communities, and help to keep everyone safe.

“If anyone is in possession of a knife and is unsure what to do about it, I would urge them to take this opportunity to dispose of it anonymously and safely.”

The amnesty runs until 8am on Monday, September 29.

It follows Greater Manchester Police’s firearms amnesty in July which saw 225 firearms and more than 3,000 rounds of ammunition handed in – with 80 of these weapons illegally owned.

Officers in Bolton received 11 firearms during the amnesty and several rounds of ammunition.