Special bins have been installed in two locations in Newham to encourage people to make the streets safer by handing in knives.

Residents can hand in blades and other sharp objects at two designated sites - West Ham Lane, in Stratford, at its junction with Church Street, and High Street South, East Ham, at its junction with Rancliffe Road.

The idea, instigated by Inspector Declan Traynor from Newham police, is to get knives off of the streets and out of circulation.

Police are asking for anyone who has a knife or other sharp weapon that is no longer used to hand them in at one of the official knife bins as part of the borough’s crackdown on crime.

The intiative is part of a collaboration with a number of partners including the Word 4 Weapons organisation whose founder, Michael Smith, expressed thanks to everyone involved in the scheme.