This chilling array of deadly weapons has been handed in to a single police force in just a six month period as part of an amnesty aimed at reducing gun and knife crime.

More than 1,300 knives, guns, machetes and other dangerous weapons have been left in 20 surrender bins placed around the West Midlands since March.

The bins were put in place by the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner after violent crime rocketed following the easing of lockdown restrictions.

Shocking pictures show a huge haul of weapons laid out next to one of the post-box style containers at a Tesco supermarket in Dudley, West Mids., today (Tue).

The latest emptying of the bins saw a total of 1,321 weapons collected and included a pistol, machetes, swords, scythes and a Nazi flick knife complete with swastika.

The containers are said to offer people a safe place to dispose of weapons, without fear of being prosecuted, and is part of a strategy to reduce gun and knife crime.

Previously, handguns, tasers, a sawn-off shotgun and even a bayonet have been recovered from the bins in a region where knife crime has more than doubled since 2012.

The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster said: “Every weapon that is deposited into these bins is potentially saving a life.

“With this number of weapons collected in such a short period of time, clearly these bins are working by taking dangerous items off our streets.

“I’m committed to investing in more preventative programmes to stop violence happening in the first place.

“The West Midlands Violence Reduction Unit is working at pace to deliver a range of interventions that will help us intervene to prevent violent crime.

“We also have our expanded Police gangs unit working to disrupt and take on those who are responsible for violence.”