OFFICERS are stepping up their efforts to get knives off the street over the next month.

West Mercia Police will join a national call to surrender zombie knives and machetes through a surrender and compensation scheme launched by the government.

Items can be surrendered to police stations across the region, with lawful owners of any weapons able to apply for compensation online.

Collections will open on Monday (August 26) and end on Monday, September 23.

The collections are part of a four-week period before changes to the Criminal Justice Act 1988 come into effect at midnight

These changes will mean that 'zombie-style' knives and machetes will be added to the list of prohibited offensive weapons, making it illegal to possess them.

The manufacturing, importing, sale and supply of these knives will also become illegal.

Under current laws, machetes and zombie knives are only illegal to own if they feature images or words that incite or relate to violence, meaning police were also unable to seize any knives or machetes that did not fit the description.

Superintendent Brian Gibbs, head of prevention for West Mercia Police, said: "We are in full support of this scheme which will mean removing these unnecessary and life-threatening weapons from our communities.

"We have far too often seen the devastation that knife crime has brought to victims, families and many others across the three counties that we serve.

"I urge anyone who is in possession of such weapons to bring them to your local police station, and we ask that anybody surrendering items ensure they are safe to handle whilst travelling to and whilst on police premises."

Worcester Police Station, Castle Street, and Kidderminster Police Station, Habberley Road will both be accepting knives and machetes between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.