More than 100 weapons - ranging from samurai swords to machetes - have been surrendered to police after a week-long operation to tackle knife crime.

And officers have revealed that some of them had been in the hands of children before being handed over in the amnesty.

In the week running up to Monday, people were able to anonymously hand in dozens of unwanted weapons to bins at six police stations.

Superintendent Mark Pannone told the News & Star: "We have managed to get 113 knives off the streets thanks to the public, who have come into our stations over the last week. They have handed in weapons that either weren't needed, or were in their young children's possession.

"Cumbria has a very low level of knife crime, and each one of those weapons could have actually been used in crime.

"We have stopped 113 victims from being victims of knife crime and we've stopped people from being criminalised from being in possession of a knife as well."

The initiative has been hailed as a success, with the list of weapons including a samurai sword with a picture of martial arts film star Bruce Lee on the handle, two meat cleavers, five throwing stars, three other samurai swords, three machetes and a dagger.

Supt Pannone went through the types of weapons handed in.

"Some of them look like domestic knives which were handed in as they aren't needed anymore.

"For instance, we've got weapons that have been fabricated out of pieces of metal - including throwing weapons. As far as I'm concerned, these are only for one purpose which is unlawful and about injuring people. It's really great to get those off the streets.

"Likewise we have a 'zombie knife', a very aggressive weapon with no real purpose or real benefit in any domestic setting. So to get that off the streets stops people becoming victims of knife crime and and helps to make Cumbria a safer place," he added.

According to Cumbria Police, in 2017 there were 149 offences recorded where a knife or other sharp implement was used to injure or threaten somebody.

Cumbria's police and crime commissioner Peter McCall said: "Knife crime destroys lives.

"There are no circumstances where carrying a knife or blade as a weapon is acceptable and, while some people wrongly perceive that a knife offers them some kind of protection, in reality it only serves to make them more vulnerable while placing those around them at greater risk."