Policing teams set up a knife arch at Witham Train Station after reports of weapons in the area.

Braintree Community Policing Team, Witham Town Team and Special Constables carried out a knife awareness initiative at the station on Tuesday, February 25.

The teams worked with Network Rail to set up a knife arch at the entrance and encourages members to walk through it.

This comes after recent reports from the area of the presence of weapons.

In a post on Facebook, Essex Police said: "Although these are isolated incidents it is important to engage and speak to visitors to the area and to reassure them that there is a strong police presence in the community and we will address any matters that arise.

Officers also positioned themselves inside the station and at the front and rear entrances and exits to keep an eye out for any suspicious behaviour.

Checks were also carried out on visitors and some officers travelled to and from location on the train to interact with commuters.

In a separate move, police are increasing their engagement with schools within the district.

Braintree Police have allocated an officer from the Community Policing Team to act as a single point of contact for each secondary school.

The programme, called 'Prison No Way', is in partnership with Braintree Community Safety Partnership and The Youth Service.

Prison No Way delivers information to enable young people to make informed and better decisions and teaches them how being involved in criminal activity can lead to detention or prison and the harsh realities that come with it.

Braintree Police has also recently worked with Greenfields Community Housing who led an event with Alter Ego drama group who performed to year eight students.

Their presentation, Breaking The Chain, was based on true events and demonstrated how youths can fall into knife crime.