THE first knife amnesty bin has been placed on the streets of Colchester to help save lives.

It follows months of campaigning by anti knife crime charities.

Chief Insp Richard Phillibrown, district commander for Colchester, said: “I think it is a step forward.

“We have had some horrific knife crimes in Colchester.

“We need to look at different opportunities to take action and raise awareness and provide facilities for people to give up knives.

“What we all want is for Colchester to be a safer place.

“There is no place in Colchester for someone to carry a knife.

“My officers will take robust action against anyone carrying a knife.”

The secure bin, provided for free by British Ironworks, has been temporarily set up by the side of Colchester Police Station, off Butt Road, to allow people to discard weapons safely and get them off the streets.

A permanent home is still to be agreed.

The bin is in place thanks to the tireless efforts of Caroline Shearer, founder of Only Cowards Carry.

She set up the charity after her own son Jay Whiston, 17, was murdered in September 2012.

He was stabbed to death while trying to break up a fight at a house party.

She has worked with Essex Police, the office for the Police and Crime Commissioner, Colchester’s Community Safety Partnership and sponsors Sainsbury’s to get a bin in Colchester.

She said: “It is about safety.

“It gives people the chance to dispose of something, which is so dangerous, safely.

“What are the benefits of carrying a knife?

“This is about saving lives. This will save lives.

“This is not about Jay. It is about making sure nobody else loses a life, nobody else has to live my life.”

Colchester has suffered a rise in violent crime, including a rise in knife crime and people murdered by knives.

James Attfield, 33, of East Bay, was stabbed 102 times near Castle Park in March last year.

Nahid Al-Manea, 31, of Woodrow Way, was stabbed 16 times and killed in June last year on the Salary Brook Trail.

Both remain unsolved.