A Dudley retailer has handed over 108 weapons which are soon to be classified as illegal under laws that come into force later this month.

A nationwide call to hand over zombie-style knives and machetes was launched in August ahead of changes in legislation, from 24 September, when it will be illegal to own zombie-style knives and machetes.

They are being added to the list of dangerous prohibited items already banned, including butterfly knives, Samurai swords and push daggers.

The surrender scheme allows people to hand in knives that fall within the new legislation at police stations, in return for an application for compensation. As part of the work to support the national surrender the West Midlands Police specialist team that tackles knife crime, Project Guardian, has been working with retailers to arrange bulk surrenders.

The Guardian team visited DAI Leisure in Brierley Hill and recovered 108 knives which they agreed to surrender, as they will be classed as illegal under the new laws.

Inspector Colin Gallier, who leads the Guardian taskforce, said: "We are really pleased with today's operation as the retailer has obviously acted responsibly and it is good to know that those knives are now off the market so can't get into the hands of anyone who wants to use them for sinister reasons.

"The retailer can now claim compensation for their stock and we can safely and securely dispose of them before they enter public circulation."

The surrender scheme runs until 23 September, and people can hand in their weapons without repercussions for surrendering these potentially dangerous knives safely.

In the West Midlands, knives can be surrendered at a number of police stations, including Birmingham Central, Brierley Hill, West Bromwich and Wolverhampton. Individuals can also anonymously dispose of these weapons using safe, surrender bins.

Anyone making a compensation claim can do so at the point of surrendering the weapon at their local police station. Police forces will forward their application on to the Home Office to be processed.

After 24 September, anyone caught with a zombie-style knife or a machete faces time behind bars. Meanwhile, the Guardian taskforce has been working hard to identify those involved in serious youth violence.

Last month, the team made more than 60 arrests and seized 20 weapons when on active patrols. The teams operate throughout Birmingham, the Black Country, Coventry and Solihull with a focus on preventing violence.