MORE than 2,500 weapons were surrendered in Herts and Beds during the national knife amnesty which ended on Friday. All the knives, swords and other lethal weapons collected at police stations across the two counties will now be destroyed. Beds deputy chi

MORE than 2,500 weapons were surrendered in Herts and Beds during the national knife amnesty which ended on Friday.

All the knives, swords and other lethal weapons collected at police stations across the two counties will now be destroyed.

Beds deputy chief constable Grahame Bullock said: "We accept it is unlikely that the criminals of Bedfordshire would have handed in many of their weapons but I am delighted that the law-abiding members of our communities have preventied them from getting into the wrong hands.

"Bedfordshire Police will now take a very hard line with anyone caught in possession of a knife or other weapon and put them before the court where they can now expect to receive a much higher prison sentence."

In the county, 458 knives and 67 other weapons were handed in during the five-week-long amnesty.

In Herts, the total figure was 2,198. Locally, there were 277 weapons in Stevenage, 104 in Hitchin, 84 in Letchworth GC and 23 in Baldock.

There were a selection of domestic and non domestic knives and some more unusual items including cavalry swords, samurai swords, fantasy knives and flick knives.

Other weapons handed in included a knuckleduster and baseball bat.

Roy Aldwin, manager of the Herts county community safety unit, described the amnesty as a tremendous success.