More than 1,100 knives, machetes and guns dumped into weapon surrender bins in region within six months

Weapons have been dropped off at several locations as part of the scheme set up by the West Midlands police and crime commissioner to tackle rising violent crime, which continues to escalate in the area.

Just in the past few months, 20-year-old Bailey Atkinson was fatally stabbed in Walsall town centre, 18-year-old Jack Lowe died after being stabbed in Darlaston and 23-year-old Cody Fisher was knifed on the dance floor of a Birmingham nightclub and died at the scene.

The bins provide a place where people can anonymously dispose of unwanted or illegal blades, with the weapons later being removed and destroyed by experts.

A total of 1,108 knives, machetes and guns have been placed into Simon Foster’s 24 safe and secure containers, which are strategically located across the region, in the last six months.

The bins have been installed across the Black Country, Birmingham and Coventry and all of the weapons are retrieved and destroyed.

“It is pleasing to see a huge number of knives and other weapons being dropped into my weapon surrender bins," Mr Foster said.

“Hundreds of dangerous knives are being taken off the streets thanks to the network of secure metal containers that I have installed and every single one is potentially a life saved."

Mr Foster also invests in a programme in schools to educate young people on the dangers of knives, a scheme in A&E units to untangle young people from a life of violence and mentoring classes for children who it is thought could be drawn into crime.

He added: "I am also committed to continuing to invest in other preventative programmes, that are designed to stop violence in its tracks by intervening early and addressing the underlying causes.

"West Midlands Police is also working around the clock to ensure offenders are brought to justice swiftly.”

Locations of knife bins in the Black Country include St Chad and St Mark’s Church in Lime Street, Wolverhampton; St Peter’s Collegiate Church, Lich Gates, Wolverhampton; Tesco, Littleton Street, Walsall; Tesco, Town Gate Retail Park, Birmingham Road, Dudley and Duke Street, Stourbridge.

For a list of locations visit westmidlands-pcc.gov.uk/tackling-violence/weapon-surrender-bins

It comes as a dozen weapon surrender bins could be installed at “hotspots” across Walsall by a charity set up after the death of fitness instructor James Brindley.

Mr Brindley was fatally stabbed as he walked home in Aldridge on June 23, 2017, having been chatting to his girlfriend at the time of the violent attack.

It led to a foundation bearing the 26-year-old’s name being set up in a bid to tackle the root causes of youth violence and knife crime across the borough.

It recently unveiled plans for 12 weapon surrender bins at locations in Walsall and has urged people to help fund them so they can be rolled out.

Mark Brindley, James’s dad, said: "It's good they are in bins because they are not in someone's pocket.

"The knife bins are an important tool for helping with violence and our campaign is about making the bins more accessible to communities.

"Our bins will have a QR code on them so people can scan it and be directed to our website for more support and information if they need it."

He said funding had so far been raised for seven of the weapon surrender bins, with the first to be unveiled on Aldridge High Street on February 24.

Other locations will include Bloxwich, Palfrey and Darlaston.

The bins cost £1,500 each, plus additional charges for installation, and will require ongoing costs to allow them to be emptied and the weapons disposed of.

To find out how to donate visit jamesbrindleyfoundation.co.uk and click on Safer Streets.