Deadly 'ninja' swords taken off streets of Leeds

An astonishing number of banned 'ninja swords' have been handed over to police in West Yorkshire during a month-long amnesty.

- by James Connolly

More than 80 dangerous blades were surrendered as a new law came into force on August 1, which made it a crime to own the fearsome weapons.

That figure included 66 'ninja swords' - as anyone who owns one can now face up to two years behind bars.

Ninja swords are defined as having a blade between 14 and 24 inches, a straight cutting edge and an angled tip. The swords have been linked to serious crimes, including the horrific murder of 16-year-old Ronan Kanda in Wolverhampton in 2022.