Zombie knives ban is possible - legal chief

Jeremy Wright MP said legislation could be brought in to ban the potentially deadly blades, which have names such as 'Head Splitter' and 'Skinner' and can measure up to 2ft in length.

It comes after Labour's shadow policing minister Jack Dromey told Parliament he was seeking to bring in new laws to stop the sale of 'zombie knives'.

Mr Wright said: "You can legislate to ban specific types of weapon but it is worth remembering that this type of weapon is already illegal to carry in the street.

"If you are under 18 it is illegal to sell one to you."

The Attorney General added: "I do think we should be looking at ways to make sure that young people understand the dangers of carrying any knife, knives like this even more so.

"The truth of the matter is that if you carry a knife you are more likely to get injured, not less so.

"These people that carry knives and think they are safer are just wrong and it is important we get that message across to them."

Last year an Express & Star investigation highlighted a legal loophole that meant 'zombie knives' could be ordered online and delivered to homes in the UK.

Although carrying one on the street can result in a prison sentence of up to four years, possessing one at home is within the boundaries of the law.

The investigation prompted West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson to launch a campaign for an outright ban on the sale of the knives.

Mr Jamieson said the 'only intention and purpose' of 'zombie knives' was to do damage to a person.

He has been joined in his fight by Labour's shadow policing minister, who told ministers this week that he was seeking to amend the Policing and Crime Bill that is currently passing through Parliament.

"We will seek to amend the bill to stop the sale of not only firearms, but something equally injurious to health and safety: zombie knives, terrible weapons that can have only one purpose—to inflict grievous harm on the individual." Mr Dromey said.

Last week it emerged that 158 knives have been recovered from seven surrender bins around the West Midlands, with 71 of them dumped in the West Bromwich High Street bin.

And three zombie knives have been seized in the West Midlands in recent months, including one with a foot long blade in Sutton Coldfield and another 'zombie lock knife' in the south of Birmingham.

Earlier this week London Mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith revealed that he had bought a 'zombie knife' with a 10.25 inch blade online.

He said: "It's just shocking how there were no questions asked, we just ordered it and it turned up the next day without even asking for proof of age or verification- and these knives are only meant to do one thing."

Amazon has removed all advertising for the blades from its UK site, while the retailer's US site now features a banner informing customers that the blades can not be exported to the UK.