Welwyn Hatfield has seen yet another knife offence, after a man was charged with possession of a bladed article.

William Hanrahan, from Luton, was arrested in Welwyn Garden City's Heather Road at around 8.45am on Thursday, February 22.

Two officers from Operation Scorpion and a new neighbourhood officer in training had spotted the 19-year-old acting suspiciously in Stanborough Road.

The officers gave chase, with colleagues from the Intervention Team providing back up.

Hanrahan was subsequently arrested and a machete was seized.

"I hope this news reassures residents that your local officers are out on the streets working hard to keep you safe. We will relentlessly pursue those who think it is acceptable to carry knives," said Detective Inspector Bianca Broadbent, from the Welwyn Hatfield Local Crime Unit.

"Thanks to officers putting themselves in harm’s way, a dangerous machete is now off the streets of Welwyn Garden City."

The news follows two more concerning knife crime incidents in the borough this week, with a man charged with attempted murder after a stabbing in Welwyn Garden City on Monday, and two more men arrested following an unlinked incident in Hatfield on Thursday.

Herts police were quick to reassure concerned and shocked residents, as they pledged to "continue to take a tough stance on knife crime".

You can report information online at herts.police.uk/report, via online web chat at herts.police.uk/contact.

You can also call the non-emergency number 101.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.