Police seize weapons in crackdown

A samurai sword was among the weapons seized during the campaign

A pickaxe handle, samurai sword and a golf club were among weapons seized from the streets of South Lanarkshire during a month-long weapons crackdown.

Strathclyde police officers made 46 arrests and more than 400 weapons were handed in to local stations.

The campaign was part of a year-long drive against violence.

Boys as young as 12 were reported to the procurator fiscal for possession of an offensive weapon. The oldest offender was a 57-year-old man.

Two women were also charged for carrying a weapon, including a 39-year-old in East Kilbride and a 47-year-old in Cambuslang.

Kitchen knives, baseball bats, pieces of wood and metal poles were the most common weapons seized.

Ch Supt Tim Love, divisional commander for South Lanarkshire, said the anti-violence strategy was helping to make communities safer.

He said: "I am extremely encouraged by the response that we've had from the public in terms of the number of weapons that were handed in during this phase of the campaign."