LETHAL-looking zombie knives, meat cleavers and swords down to flick-knives and even a butter knife were among the 200-plus weapons recovered from Dudley's surrender bin which was emptied this morning (Tuesday).

The bin, outside the Tesco Extra store off Birmingham Road, was emptied in front of West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster who described the haul as "deeply concerning".

Stourbridge News: The weapons collected in the Dudley knife bin over the six monthsThe weapons collected in the Dudley knife bin over the six months

In total, more than 1,321 knives, guns, machetes and other dangerous weapons have been collected in the region’s 20 surrender bins over the last six months.

The Dudley one even included weapons with swastikas on.

Stourbridge News: Some of the knives had swastikas on themSome of the knives had swastikas on them

Stuart Hill, commercial director of Alpha Drive Engineering, which looks after the bins, said: "They're really nasty as they were made with hatred."

The secure containers, dotted across the region, are part of ongoing efforts to tackle the problem of violent crime in the West Midlands and get lethal weapons off the streets.

Stourbridge News: West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster with some of the knives weapons recoveredWest Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster with some of the knives weapons recovered

PCC Simon Foster said: “Every weapon that is deposited into these bins is potentially saving a life.

“With this number of weapons collected in such a short period of time, clearly these bins are working by taking dangerous items off our streets.

“I’m committed to investing in more preventative programmes to stop violence happening in the first place.

“The West Midlands Violence Reduction Unit is working at pace to deliver a range of interventions that will help us intervene to prevent violent crime.

“We also have our expanded police gangs unit working to disrupt and take on those who are responsible for violence.”

Knife crime has more than doubled in the West Midlands since 2012.

The bins are one of a number of measures introduced by the PCC and West Midlands Police to tackle knife crime and there are plans to continue to expand the programme.

Stourbridge News: The knives collected from Dudley's surrender bin on September 14The knives collected from Dudley's surrender bin on September 14

The blades and other weapons collected, including three handguns and bullets, will now be shredded and recycled and Mr Hill, of Alpha Drive, said: "We're storing the waste at the moment but we've got some great ideas for what to do with the metal."

He said it could be used to create things such as key fobs for charities or organisations working to tackle violence in the region.