THESE photographs show weapons including knives, pistols and hand grenades which were taken off the streets by the police back in the 80s and 90s.

We often hear in the news about the rise in knife crime and read reports of weapons being seized by police from properties and organised gangs. 

However, these photographs in the 1980s and 90s show how weapon possession is a crime the police have been tackling for decades. 

A recovered shotgunA recovered shotgun (Image: Archive)In one photo, a police officer, PC Eric Bridgeman can be seen checking weapons which include pistols and rifles with rows of bullets line up. 

A PC checking weapons handed over in amnestyA PC checking weapons handed over in amnesty (Image: Archive)In another photograph, firearms training officer Sergeant Ken Baker displays weapons which had been surrendered. 

Sergeant Ken Baker displaying the surrendered weapons Sergeant Ken Baker displaying the surrendered weapons (Image: Archive)In 1992 the police had taken 110 weapons and 7,097 rounds of ammunition off the streets. 

The weapons and ammunition had been surrendered as part of a firearms amnesty in Gwent which they were half way through.