'No questions' knife bin opens in Middlesbrough

A permanent knife bin where weapons can be surrendered with "no questions asked" has opened on Teesside.

The bin has been placed in Middlesbrough police station following a Cleveland Police amnesty when almost 400 weapons were handed in.

A spokesman for the force said knife crime fell by 10% in 2018 compared to 2017, but more needed to be done.

Theresa Cave, whose son Chris, 17, was stabbed to death in 2003 said the knife crime "epidemic" had to be stopped.

In November 2003, Sean Matson was jailed for life for her son's murder. Ms Cave, has since set up the Chris Cave Foundation which campaigns against gun and knife crime.

She said: "Children are carrying knives because of peer pressure; we need to do something to try and stop an epidemic.

"Items will be disposed of without any questions asked, and in a safe place."

Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland Barry Coppinger said there were 415 knife crimes in the area in 2018, a 10% fall compared to 2017.