KNIVES handed in as part of an amnesty in Hereford will be used to build a plinth for a 20-foot high guardian angel sculpture in memory of those who have lost their life to knife crime.

Over the last month 23 knives have been surrendered anonymously at Hereford police station as part of Operation Sceptre, a national campaign to reduce knife crime and the number of families affected by knife crime.

All the knives surrendered will be delivered to the British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry where they will be used to build the plinth.

Chief Inspector Sharon Canning said: "The streets of the West Mercia policing areas are safer following this campaign. Each knife surrendered represents one less chance of another life being ended or ruined by knife crime.

"As well as taking more than 600 knives off the streets this operation has also given us the opportunity to raise awareness of the dangers of knife crime and the risk of carrying a knife. Hopefully, in future, people will think twice about carrying a knife."