HUGE serated blades referred to as 'zombie knives' will be banned from England and Wales on Thursday.

The lethal knives, which can be up to 25 inches long, will not be allowed on sale or to be manufactured or imported from Thrusday, August 18.

Anyone caught with a zombie knife could face up to four years in prison.

Weapons are often referred to as ‘zombie knives’, ‘zombie killer knives’ and ‘zombie slayer knives’.

They can include images or words that glamorise violence.

This year, 13 police forces undertook coordinated action against knife crime, with further weeks of action planned for later this year.

The coordinated response by police resulted in 401 arrests, 2,111 weapons taken off the street, and involved targeting habitual knife carriers, weapon sweeps, test purchases of knives from identified retailers and use of surrender bins.

Minister for Vulnerability, Safeguarding and Countering Extremism, Sarah Newton, said: "This government will act wherever necessary to cut crime and keep our communities safe.

"Zombie killer knives glamorise violence and cause devastating damage - they have no place whatsoever in our society."

Chief Constable Alf Hitchcock, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Knife Enabled Crime, said: "Zombie knives are absolutely horrific weapons.

"Forces are determined to reduce the harm caused by these and all other dangerous weapons.

"There is no place for knife crime within society and this ban is further commitment to keeping communities safe."

The Home Office will communicate the ban in England and Wales to frontline border officers, and Border Force will continue enforcing the law around the importation of dangerous weapons, including zombie knives, into the United Kingdom.

The new law comes in addition to government action to address knife crime through an agreement with retailers committing to regular staff training, safely displaying and securely packaging knives, raising public awareness of age restrictions, and robust age verification checks for knife sales whether in-store or online.