CCTV footage has captured a man wielding a knife in broad daylight.

The cameras picked up the man as he walked through St Michael’s Road in Bournemouth shortly after midday.

He appears to pull the blade from the waist band of his trousers.

A shop worker in the area said they reported the man to the police, and officers turned up approximately 30 minutes later.

Despite this, Dorset Police said the incident, on Saturday, February 3, could not be found on logs.

Chief superintendent Heather Dixey said: “While Dorset is one of the safest places to live in the country, we are not complacent and the force remains proactive in preventing and detecting knife crime.

“We work with our partner agencies to reduce knife offences in our area and relentlessly pursue those who commit an offence involving a knife.

“Some young people carry a knife because they think it will make them safer, but carrying a knife can actually make them more vulnerable.

“We take a proactive approach to education and prevention around knife crime and work closely with schools, charities and community groups to ensure that messages about the dangers and consequences of carrying a knife reach young people in schools and colleges.”

The chief superintendent said that it was “vitally important” that knife-related incidents are reported to Dorset Police so officers can “take action” and put “appropriate safeguarding measures” in place.

She added: “We would encourage anyone with concerns about a knife-carrier to get in touch so we can make every effort to remove a dangerous weapon off the streets.

“Knife crime will not be tolerated in Dorset and where we receive intelligence regarding people being in possession of weapons that are unlawful to own, we will take necessary action.

“If you believe someone is in immediate possession of a knife or offensive weapon, please dial 999. If you would like to report your concerns about a knife carrier or need some advice, please visit dorset.police.uk and report it online.”