VIDEO: Knives and weapons found hidden on Sheffield streets as part of police campaign

Officers were joined by South Yorkshire police and crime commissioner Dr Alan Billings when they carried out searches in Burngreave this morning as part of Operation Sceptre - a week of activity to tackle knife crime across the county.

Sgt Craig Charlesworth, who led the operation, said the morning of action was a success after they found a small kitchen knife, metal bars, a saw and a screwdriver.

He said: "Today has been part of Operation Sceptre as well as Operation Citadel, which was launched to crackdown on street dealing in Burngreave following a number of high-profile clashes between rival gangs.

"I'd say it's been a success. If you look at it now we have recovered a number of items that we believe would have been used in association with criminal activity. But it's not just the gangs these weapons were in public places so they were accessible to children and members of the public."

Officers carried out searches on open land, in garden hedges and bins around Spital Hill, Spital Lane, as well as the Bressingham estate.

Dr Billings said: "It's a national campaign. I don't think we have as big a problem as some other cities like Manchester, Leeds and Bradford but there have been worrying trends in recent years in Sheffield in particular and that's why it's important that police do these operations from time to time.

"These operations raise the profile of the police and says the police are here and doing this stuff and they have been very much welcomed by people here. I have noticed shopkeepers and particularly mothers who are anxious about their children getting involved in drugs and it's important to get that message across that police are doing stuff."