80 caught in knife search

POLICE caught 80 people carrying knives in public during spot searches carried out between April and June, new figures have shown.

Officers conducted a total of 1920 searches in the force area during the three-month period, 17 per cent less than the same period the year before.

Tackling knife crime has been a priority in recent years, with officers conducting checks on buses, as well as searches outside pubs and nightclubs, often using metal detectors.