Notts police use metal detectors to search open spaces for knives as part of week of action

As part of a massive week of activity to tackle and further reduce knife crime, officers from the Bassetlaw safer neighbourhood team headed out to parks and open spaces to search areas for bladed objects.

They visited a number of locations including Spider Park, Carlton-in-Lindrick, Rainbow Park in Manton, Godefrey's Pond and The Canch in Worksop.

Operation Sceptre, which began on Monday, April 26, is just a snapshot of the ongoing year-round work carried out by Nottinghamshire Police and its partners, standing alongside local communities, to tackle knife crime by bringing together all aspects of education, engagement and enforcement.

Other parts of the operation have included visits to schools to teach youngsters about the perils of knives, and targeting retailers who sell knives to under-18s.

Neil Bellamy is the Neighbourhood Inspector for the Bassetlaw area. He said: "We are always on the lookout for knife crime activity and we support anything we can do to drive down this abhorrent activity.

"Whilst our searches with the metal detector this week did not result in any recoveries, it is a great opportunity for us to thoroughly inspect these locations and it sends the message out to those who carry knives that we are hunting them down in our communities.

"Knife crime is a needless act and can have devastating consequences so we will always do everything we can to deter people from carrying one."

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