Almost 700 knives have been surrendered to Avon and Somerset Constabulary in the past 18 months, but not one in North Somerset.

The police have knife surrender bins across the area, with 679 potentially-deadly blades deposited since October 2016.

Sergeant Mike Vass, who leads the force’s efforts to tackle knife crime, said the bins ‘help support our work to reduce the number of knives on the streets’.

But North Somerset does not have a single surrender bin, despite the success of the initiative elsewhere.

A police spokesman said: “We haven’t found a safe and secure location to install one, but that does not mean we might not install one in future.

“In the meantime if anyone has a knife and wishes to hand it in, they can take it to their nearest station.

“If anyone has information on anyone carrying or using knives please call 101 or call Crimestoppers.

“In an emergency always dial 999.”