SICKENING street weapons such as zombie knives and knuckledusters are to face a complete ban, under a dramatic new crackdown.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd will today propose to make possessing them illegal everywhere, whether in public or at home.

4 Lethal street weapons like 'zombie knives' face a complete ban in new crackdown Credit: Police

A long list of dangerous weapons that glamorise violence will also be included in the total ban, putting them on the same legal footing as unlicensed firearms.

They include sword sticks, butterfly knives and blowpipes, as well as a range of martial arts weapons such as deathstars and handclaws.

Only people having the weapons for bonified ceremonial or religious reasons will be exempt from the ban.

Ms Rudd is also looking at making it compulsory to buy all knives in person rather than ordering for delivery to keep them out of children’s hands.

A new offence could be created of delivering them to private property.

Writing for The Sun today, Ms Rudd dubbed knife crime “a scourge on our society”.

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Explaining her crackdown, the Home Secretary writes: “We are seeing knife attacks and the harm and suffering they cause all too often.

“This is unacceptable, things need to change.

“I am saying we will tackle this problem head on.”

Ms Rudd adds: “Those who carry out such horrific attacks must know they will face the full weight of the law and will be stopped.

4 Home Secretary Amber Rudd with Superintendent Sean Yates inspects an illicit weapon recovered by police Credit: PA:Press Association

Last year, selling zombie knives and possessing them in public was made illegal.

But the police are still powerless to confiscate or arrest suspects who keep the large blades with serrated edges at home.

The proposals come after police called for more powers to tackle spiralling incidences on knife crime, despite earlier crackdowns such as longer jail terms.

More than 32,000 knife offences took place last year in Britain - a 14% increase from 2015.

4 Mrs Rudd meets police officers at Elephant & Castle in south London to discuss the prevention of knife crime Credit: PA:Press Association

In her article, Ms Rudd also heaps praise on a Sun probe last year that highlighted the loophole that allows under 18s to buy knives – which is already a criminal offence.

She writes: “Last year a Sun investigation found that the 16-year-old brother of a reporter had been able to purchase knives online, with only around half of delivery drivers asking him to provide ID.

“That is why I am launching proposals to make it illegal for knives sold online to be delivered to a private address.

“Instead, online retailers would have to deliver to a shop or specific location where the customer’s age can be checked.”

Things need to change fast...

By Amber Rudd, Home Secretary

4 Home Secretary Amber Rudd on spiralling knife crime Credit: PA:Press Association

VIOLENCE such as knife crime has a devastating effect on families, communities and society.

Yet we are seeing knife attacks and the harm and suffering they cause all too often.

Things need to change and today I am setting out further action to help make sure they do.

Those who carry out such horrific attacks must know they face the full weight of the law.

Since I joined the Home Office I have banned zombie knives. I have also worked with major retailers to stop un­derage knife sales.

And last October police forces took part in a week of action to tackle knife crime under Operation Sceptre. This week hundreds of officers will be involved in the operation’s latest wave.

I am launching proposals to make it illegal for knives sold online to be delivered to a private address. Retailers would deliver to a shop or lo­cation where the customer’s age can be checked.

We are also looking to make it illegal to possess a dangerous weapon in the home. Together we can stop a crime that has become a scourge on society and break the vicious cycle of violence.