MORE than 850 knives have been handed in at special collection bins as part of an amnesty in Clacton and Colchester.

Staff at Clacton-based anti-knives charity Only Coward Carry admit they were shocked an the number of potential weapons collected in just six months.

Knuckle-dusters, meat leavers and flick knives were among the haul.

Sarah Cordrey has been involved with the charity for more than a year and has carried out extensive research on knife crime.

She was horrified by some of the weapons which have been handed in.

"There was a mobile phone case which had a knife which was so sharp," she said.

"It was 5cm long and it only has to be 4cm to pierce a heart.

"I've been doing research since I've been here and I've never seen one of these before. I was just shocked."

Two machetes handed in were more than 2ft long.

Other weapons included razor sharp metal disguised a playing card.

The weapons can be handed in at the special bins anonymously.

The scheme was set up in a bid to get knives which could be used as lethal blades off the streets.

Some 863 have been given up since the bins were last emptied six months ago – almost five a day on average.

Sarah suspects some may have been found by children's parents and handed in.

But she admits it is unlikely that gang members would give up their prized weapons.

"What we didn't get were a lot of shanks which are homemade knives like they make in prison," added Sarah.

"If someone is making a knife they are willing to use it and could kill someone."

The blades will all be melted down and used to make a sculpture of an angel which will be displayed in Trafalgar Square in memory of knife victims.

Amnesty bins are in Jackson Road, Clacton, and close to Colchester police station.

The Only Cowards Carry charity was set up by Caroline Shearer, from Clacton, after son Jay Whiston, aged 17, was stabbed to death outside a house party in 2012.