Lancashire police has launched a compensation scheme for anyone who hands in zombie-style knives and machetes, ahead of the ban next month.

A Blackburn woman, who educates children about the dangers of knife crime, says this is a great first step but says much more still needs to be done.

From Tuesday, September 24 it will be illegal to own certain styles of ‘zombie’ knives and machetes.

Ahead of the law change, Lancashire is taking part in a surrender and compensation scheme for people who own these types of knives.

Running from August 26 to September 23 this Home Office-backed initiative is designed to enhance public safety by removing these dangerous weapons from communities.

The scheme allows individuals to surrender zombie-style knives and machetes at designated police stations across Lancashire. In addition to helping make streets safer, those who hand in eligible items may also be able to claim compensation, with a standard amount of £10 per item.

Blackburn author and educator, Christina Gabbitas, visits schools across the country to raise awareness of knife crime.

She has worked in partnership with police forces, including Lancashire Police, and has published a story called ‘No More Knives or County Lines’, a comic strip style story about a group of friends groomed into county lines who suffer the consequences of carrying a knife.

Christina said this initiative from police, and the overall banning of zombie knives and machetes, is a positive thing but says much more can still be done.

She said: “Any initiative that will encourage people to hand knives in is good. The overall banning of zombie knives is also a positive step but more needs to be done to fight the root cause of knife crime and educate.

“Judging from what I have seen, it won’t stop the crime.”

Christina hopes the Government will encourage early intervention and educate children from primary school age about the dangers of knife crime.

She said: “I am a big believer in educating children from an early age. I hope the Government encourages early intervention work in schools and sees that as a priority.

"If they want to tackle this issue reactive stuff [such as banning knives] is not going to work. There needs to be preventative work too.”

(Image: NQ)

Christina says she received a message from a parent thanking her for going into a school, in Scunthorpe, after her son found a zombie knife on his way to school. Thanks to the talk she delivered, he knew what to do when he found it.

Christina said: “We know early intervention work we do in schools actually works, [shown by this example]. The parent personally contacted me to say thank you, which was really nice.”

Chief inspector Dave Oldfield, operational lead for the Lancashire Violence Reduction Network (VRN), emphasised the importance of this initiative: "This surrender scheme is a critical step in our ongoing efforts to reduce violence and keep our communities safe.

“By encouraging people to hand in these soon-to-be prohibited weapons, we're working to prevent potential harm before it can occur. I urge anyone in possession of a zombie-style knife or machete to take this opportunity to surrender it safely and responsibly. Your actions could make a real difference."

The Lancashire VRN has made a range of resources available to support this campaign, including social media assets and posters, which are being shared with local partners. Organisations and community groups are encouraged to use and distribute these materials to help amplify the message.

The Government said there will not be any repercussions for those surrendering the potentially dangerous knives safely, while policing minister Dame Diana Johnson urged the public to “do the right thing”.

The Government stopped short of announcing a ban on ninja swords in the King’s speech, but Dame Diana said the Government intends to make these illegal in future, as part of its plan to halve knife crime within the next 10 years.

Dame Diana said: “Too many people have access to weapons that can lead to devastating, life-changing consequences.

“There is no legitimate need for a weapon of this kind to be in our homes or on our streets. That is why we will continue to make sure the tightest restrictions are in place to limit the availability of these lethal weapons.

“Implementing a ban on zombie-style knives is just the first step in our ambitious, dedicated plan to halve knife crime within a decade, and will closely be followed by making ninja swords illegal.

“It is absolutely crucial that members of the public come forward and safely hand in these weapons. We are offering people the chance to do the right thing – to help make our streets safer, prevent further loss of life and save so many futures.

“We cannot do this alone, political, policing and community leaders must work together to bring the knife crime epidemic to an end and offer a better future for our young people.”

The Government said anyone found with a zombie-style knife or a machete following the ban will face time behind bars.

For more information about the scheme, including how to surrender weapons and claim compensation, please visit the official government website.