Police in Sussex were called to seven stabbings during the period of the Government's national knife amnesty.

There were three attacks in Hastings, two in Worthing and one each in Brighton and Eastbourne.

Across England and Wales there were a total of 91 serious attacks during the five-week amnesty, leading to 19 deaths.

But there was a sharp drop in overall knife crime, with possession of the weapons down by 61 per cent in Sussex.

Victims of serious knife offences between Thursday May 5 and Monday June 26, were stabbed in the face, the back and the legs, officers said.

In June, two men were stabbed after being surrounded by five men in St Leonards.

One was stabbed in the back and another in the stomach during a fight outside the Nawroz cafe in Western Road.

Later in the month two violent criminals were jailed for life after terrorising their victims with knives.

Raina Dunne, 18, stabbed a man she believed had assaulted one of her friends in Hastings in December, inflicting horrific wounds.

Simon Baker, 36, carried out three knifepoint robberies on victims who included a Scout leader, a taxi driver and an off-licence assistant.

Judge Anthony Niblett said he wanted the sentences to help stem the growing fear of knife crime sweeping our streets.

But the more recent attacks will fuel concerns that knife culture is out of control despite police efforts to crack down.

Hastings MP Michael Foster said he feared some people were carrying knives around like "accessories".

He said: "There are people who go out equipped for the night but you are more likely to become a victim by carrying a knife.

"I would encourage people to get rid of them. The amnesty is the right thing to do."

Sussex Police will begin counting the number of weapons placed in sealed plastic bins at 31 stations across the region today.

Within the first week of the campaign 757 were collected - more than half the 1,400 total handed in during the last amnesty in 1996 - among them a ceremonial sword, hunting knives and a handmade machete.

Police said they had seen a significant fall in knife offences compared to last year, from 181 down to 106 in Sussex.