Knives seized in search operation

Almost 40 knives have been taken off the streets

Northumbria Police has recovered 39 knives since the start of a stop-and-search crackdown, latest figures show.

A spokesman said the blades were found in 173 searches since the campaign began on 24 July.

However, no knives were found in the first-week of the "enforcement period", in which officers used metal detectors during the searches from 11 August.

Chief Constable Mike Craik said he was pleased with the results and hailed the operation as a success.

The enforcement team has so far been in Sunderland city centre, Southwick and Houghton on Wearside, and Gateshead, Wallsend, South Shields, Hexham, Ashington and Blyth in Tyneside and Northumberland.