Just before a man was repeatedly stabbed in Falmouth, a local barber announced it was joining a knife amnesty campaign.

Boslowick Barbers has set up an amnesty box where anyone can drop off a knife with "no questions asked."

Although barber Sarrelle McCann recognises that knife crime is not an endemic problem in the town, she wants to make sure it stays that way.

Read more: Man repeatedly stabbed in Falmouth flat is now in serious condition

Sarrelle said: "This group thought it would be a good opportunity to educate people; when we saw it I thought 'what a brilliant idea'."

The owner of the popular shop added: "Anybody that's got a weapon can come and drop it off with no questions asked."

The Barbers Against Blades initiative was set up by Somerset-based Lock Stock and Barber and has been taken up by hair cutters around the country.

Boslowick Barbers' amnesty box was provided by the police and is locked so that no one can access its contents until it is returned to the station.

"What is said in the barbershop stays in the barbershop," Sarrelle added.

One important part of the initiative, says Sarrelle, is to educate children and young people about the dangers of knives.

Information provided by Barbers Against Blades, for example, references the fact that people who carry knives have a much higher chance of being stabbed themselves.

She added: "A lot of people don't realise it's actually against the law to carry a knife. You can be arrested and prosecuted and then have it on your record for the rest of your life.

"I think having children educated will actually follow home and educate parents – kids have got this knack of making their parents feel guilty about things.

"One of the things that did concern me is that we have such a brilliant university here, but some of those people have come from areas with knife crime problems.

"We don't want those things in Falmouth. Just drop it in and get rid of it. It's important that students feel safe."