A knife amnesty to highlight the dangers of carrying bladed weapons saw 705 items handed in across Suffolk – with the largest number in Bury St Edmunds.

The west Suffolk town saw 252 bladed items, including two swords, taken to its amnesty bin as part of Operation Sceptre, while only 50 were given up in Ipswich – the lowest number across the county.

Lowestoft collected 204 items, which included a sword, and 114 were taken to the bin in Mildenhall. Sudbury saw 85 bladed items handed in.

Operation Sceptre – the national week of action against knife crime – took place between Monday, July 17 to Sunday, July 23, and was supported by Suffolk Constabulary.

As well as highlighting the risks of carrying bladed weapons, the operation also targeted offenders who use and carry knives.

Suffolk Police officers carried out weapons sweeps in two public parks in Ipswich resulting in two bladed items, a heavy table leg and pool cue being recovered in Jubilee Park. No weapons were found in Alderman Park.

During the week three people were arrested in connection with weapons offences, two of which were subsequently charged with possession of a bladed article in a public place as follows:

Chloe Kittl, 19, from Morland Road, Ipswich, was arrested on July 18 and is due to appear at Ipswich Magistrates' Court on Thursday, September 28.

Terry Audus, 32, from Cutters Close, Beck Row, was arrested in Mildenhall on July 20. He was due to appear at Ipswich Magistrates' Court on Monday, August 14, but failed to do so and the court has now issued a warrant for his arrest.

The third person – a 34-year-old woman from Ipswich arrested on July 18 – will face no further action.

Superintendent Simon Mills, who was in charge of the operation, said: 'The relatively small numbers of weapons recovered and the limited number of arrests for possession of knives during this period points to the success of previous work.

'There is no excuse to carry a knife in Suffolk.

'Knife crime can have devastating consequences and if you are found illegally in possession of a knife in this county you will be arrested, could be put before the court and brought to justice.'