Samurai sword, crossbow and a gold-plated axe: Chilling array of weapons seized by police force in anti-violence crackdown

West Midlands Police launch campaign aiming to end knife crime

Police have revealed the chilling array of deadly weapons they seized in just four months - including a crossbow and a traditional samurai sword.



The fearsome arsenal, which even includes a gold-plated axe, was put on display yesterday by West Midlands Police as part of a new anti-weapons campaign.



Other dangerous arms featured in the grim haul are nunchuks, knuckle dusters, a giant flick knife and crude planks of wood with nails hammered into them.



Deadly haul: Thousands of knives have been put on display after being seized by West Midlands Police

Danger: The weapons include a crossbow, nunchuks, knuckle dusters and a crude sticks with nails in

Gruesome: Dozens of huge swords were confiscated by West Midlands Police over the past four months

The force, which is the UK's second largest, has launched its campaign alongside doctors and the families of victims of knife crime.

Superintendent Basit Javid said: 'It is illegal to carry a knife in public and if, like me, people believe that one knife related crime is one too many, they must make a stand and come forward with information which will help us tackle the problem.'



West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Bob Jones added: 'The deaths of two Big Issue sellers in Birmingham last week are a stark reminder of the seriousness of knife crime, and this campaign couldn't be more timely.'



Horror: This image shows a machete and a samurai sword as well as a metal baseball bat

Bizarre: A gold-plated axe, pictured here, was another weapon confiscated by the police

Tools: The police highlighted the trend of criminals using household objects as weapons Destruction: A knife being disabled and made safe to stop it re-entering circulation

Surgeon Dr Barry Boland, from Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital, who is also backing the scheme, pointed out that victims can be killed by a single knife wound to the arm or leg.



'Last year we saw 18 people under 24 who had serious stab injuries and I am personally aware of three young men of 16 years of age who have died in the past six months,' he said.



'Two of those were stabbed once in the leg.



Campaign: Police and doctors are hoping to eliminate the scourge of knife crime

Complex: Small kitchen knives are not the only weapons carried around by thugs

Damage: Pieces of wood studded with nails can be an effective weapon too

'People may think we can manage leg injuries very easily, but there are actually some vessels there which you can seriously injure.



'People need to know that lashing out at somebody's arm, leg, chest or belly with a knife will commonly kill them or paralyse them.'



The force launched its 'Knives End Lives' campaign in a bid to further reduce knife crime in the region.



Last year the West Midlands saw 2,237 knife-related crimes, down from 3,682 in 2008.