A MAN was arrested after he was found to have a three-inch blade in his car when he was stopped by police on Canvey.

Officers from the operational support group were patrolling the island when they flagged down a car in Meppel Avenue to speak to the owner.

When officers searched the vehicle, they discovered the lock knife inside and reported the driver - a 23-year-old man from Canvey - for possession of an offensive weapon.

The arrest was made at about 9.25am last Thursday, when officers were carrying out a week-long initiative, codenamed Operation Sceptre, to tackle knife crime.

During the week, a member of the public also handed police a large knife which they had found on a roundabout in Hadleigh.

PC Ian Risden, from the Castle Point and Rochford community policing team, said: “The knife was found by a member of the public at Brickhouse corner in Hadleigh.

“We are not suggesting that this knife was connected to the previous incident.

“A member of the public called it in and our officers went round to collect it. It had been discarded between Benfleet and Hadleigh.

“The member of public certainly did the right thing by letting us know what they had found.

“We might not always be able to link the knife to a crime but at least we can retrieve it and destroy it to save it getting in the wrong hands.”

Earlier in the week, the Echo reported how a moped rider was arrested after being found with a bottle of ammonia and a three-inch knife.

Officers stopped the 43-year-old man while patrolling in Winterswyk Avenue, on Canvey.

They searched him in the car park of the Admiral Jellicoe pub.

The bottle of ammonia was tucked into his waistband.

He was arrested and questioned in custody but later released under investigation.

Anyone with information about people carrying knives can call Essex Police on 101 or 999 if it is deemed an emergency.

Alternatively, call independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org