ROYSTON is currently third in the county league table of the number of knives handed in at police stations during an amnesty. Halfway through the month-long campaign, people in the town had deposited a total of 77 items at specially provided bins. The n

ROYSTON is currently third in the county 'league table' of the number of knives handed in at police stations during an amnesty.

Halfway through the month-long campaign, people in the town had deposited a total of 77 items at specially provided bins.

The number was made up of nine hunting knives, three swords, 54 kitchenware and 11 miscellaneous.

Only Hemel Hempstead and Hertford of the 24 police stations involved in the campaign had had more items.

County-wide, a total of 587 bladed items have been handed in.

"This is an excellent example of the constabulary working with the residents of Hertfordshire to get rid of any knives and bladed items before they could be used in a crime, and demonstrates that together we are committed to keeping knife crime out of the county," said Det Supt Mark Drew from the community safety and crime reduction unit.

"We are only halfway through the campaign, so I'd urge those tempted to carry a knife to get rid of the temptation and make use of the bins - that way they will be shredded and can never reach Hertfordshire's streets."

Although Hertfordshire saw a 5.4 per cent drop in knife-related incidents last year, police launched the deposit facility as part of a wider awareness campaign around knife crime.

This aims to reduce the number of knives and bladed objects in circulation that could be used in a crime, show that Hertfordshire is a hostile environment for those who carry or are tempted to carry a knife illegally, and remind them of the serious consequences they could face.