Knife bins are being installed in Preston and South Ribble.

It’s part of a Lancashire-wide initiative to give people a safe and legal way to surrender unwanted knives and sharp items.

Knives will be disposed of by the police, unless there is an obvious sign one has been used in a crime.

The knife bins will be installed at Onward Homes in Princess Street, Avenham, and Kingsfold Community Centre in Kingsfold Drive, Penwortham.

Chief Inspector Steve Anderton, Knife Crime Lead at Lancashire Violence Reduction Unit said: “Knives and sharp objects are present in everyone’s home and are easily picked up by children and young people.

“Providing a safe facility for dealing with unwanted knives is just one of many ways we can come together with communities to keep knives off our streets and protect young people.

“Anyone who has a knife or bladed weapon can dispose of it in the knife bins where it will be taken away and destroyed.

“We want to keep knives off the streets and keep our young people safe, and providing a way for people to dispose of bladed items helps us to do that.”

The new facilities come after Lancashire Constabulary secured government funding to help tackle increased knife crime, and are not a response to recent events in Preston.

Read more: Police say “don’t be alarmed” after recent Preston knife crime incidents

If you have any information about knife crime in Lancashire, contact the police online or by calling 101. Alternatively contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.