Weapons surrender bin installed at Solihull Railway Station

Solihull is the first area in the West Midlands to install a weapon surrender bin at a train station.

West Midlands Police has worked with Chiltern Railways to get the bin installed with a number of people using it since it was put in place in January.

The safe and secure metal box is there for people to dispose of knives, blades and other dangerous weapons.

The roll out of the bins is part of an effort to prevent, tackle and reduce violence.

Inspector Mark Heard, the Solihull lead for neighbourhood crime: “These weapon bins are all about giving people options.

"If you’re carrying a weapon it’s an opportunity to dispose of it safely which will immediately reduce your chances of getting involved in an violent incident.

"If you’re a parent who is concerned about your child carrying a weapon you can get rid of it safely and similarly if you just want to dispose of household knives that you no longer went, it’s a safe way to do it.

"Every knife posted into a surrender bin is potentially a life saved.

"Knives can ruin the lives of individuals, families and entire communities.

"If you have a knife or any weapon I strongly recommend you dispose of it today."

All the knives and weapons deposited into the knife bins are destroyed.

After the latest installation the region will have 31 weapon surrender bins across Birmingham, Solihull, the Black Country and Coventry.

Lisa Mack, area manager (Midlands) at Chiltern Railways, said: "We are pleased to assist the brilliant work West Midlands Police do in the region, and partner with them to bring a legal and safe way to dispose of weapons to one of our locations.

"It has already seen some success, and we are glad to be able to work collectively with our partners in law enforcement and contribute to the prevention of violent crime across the West Midlands."

The bins are installed in consultation with the community and organisations - and are funded by the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner.