AN ANTI-KNIFE campaigner is urging the public to make police the first port of call for any found blades - after a big one was found in a Wrexham village.

Craig Maddocks was murdered in a knife attack at the Cambrian Vaults pub, Wrexham, in June 2013. He was 34.

His brother Danny Maddocks, from Wrexham, continues to campaign against the carrying of blades - working with the police and Youth Justice Service to educate youths and to get knives off the streets.

Mr Maddocks told the Leader that last week, he was shocked to discover a "very large" knife had been found in a plastic bag on the street in Llay.

The finder of the blade, knowing of Mr Maddocks' anti-knife campaigning, handed it in to his mum - 62-year-old Edna Maddocks - in the hope it would then be safely passed to police.

Arrangements were made and the item was indeed surrendered to officers on Friday, March 8.

And while Mr Maddocks said he is pleased the blade is now off the streets, he urges anyone who discovers such things to contact North Wales Police immediately - and not to hand them to others.

The Leader: The knife found in Llay (Danny Maddocks)The knife found in Llay (Danny Maddocks) (Image: Danny Maddocks)"The first port of call should always be the police," he said.

"I want to make people aware of that.

"My mum was a bit upset, having gone through what she has and seeing that's on the streets of Llay.

"I was shocked when she told me and I called 101 straight away to arrange getting it handed over.

"It's a very large knife - if a kid had picked that up, it could have been a disaster.

"They (the person who found the knife) did the right thing in picking up, but they should have called the police."

The call comes after Shotton campaigner Edwin Duggan met North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin in February to explore more ways of tackling knife crime - including making the week-long knife surrender initiative 'Operation Sceptre' run year-round.

The initiative, which took place between May 15 to 21 last year, saw more than 560 knives were handed in across North Wales.

A second Op Sceptre week was also held in November.

Mr Duggan and the PCC also discussed a possible campaign or a direct lobby to Parliament to make it illegal to sell any knife to persons under the age of 18.

He told the Leader following Mr Maddocks' comments: "People should absolutely be encouraged to hand knives in to the police - no question.

"At least people are recognising that knives are dangerous and aren't just walking past them in the street.

"The important thing is to get them off the street."