A south-west daily is celebrating after a campaign lasting nearly two years won a change in the law.

The Express and Echo, in Exeter, has been fighting to outlaw samurai swords after Sidmouth man Matthew Stiling was murdered outside a nightclub in July 2005.

The Government has announced that the import, sale and hire of imitation swords is to be banned in England and Wales from April. Ministers in Scotland also proposed a similar move last year.

Anyone breaching the ban will face six months in jail and a £5,000 fine however genuine collectors will still be able to buy authentic weapons.

The Echo's campaign has received widespread backing from the victom's family, Exeter police chiefs, council leaders and the city's MP Ben Bradshaw.

A 1,500-signature petition was taken to Downing Street and Lord Jones of Cheltenham – whose aide Andrew Pennington was killed in a samurai sword attack – also backed the campaign.

Express and Echo editor Marc Astley said: "We launched the campaign over 18 months ago.

"This Government announcement is a victory for the Echo's campaign."

Marc said that, in the wake of Mr Stiling's murder, the Echo proved how easy it was to buy swords by dispatching reporters to back street shops and scouring the internet.

Earlier this year the Home Office launched a public consultation about introducing the ban and invited the Express and Echo to take part.

To commemorate the life of Mr Stiling three sporting events are now held in his memory – a football match, an annual cricket match and a tri-tournament of cricket, rugby and football.

Shops in Exeter have told the paper that they will honour the ban and remove the swords from their shelves when it comes into force.

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