The deaths of two teenagers prompted a regional daily to back a police weapons amnesty on its front page.

The Yorkshire Evening Post splashed yesterday on its support for the campaign by West Yorkshire Police after the tragedies in Leeds.

In the past month, the city has seen suspects arrested over the fatal shooting of Raheem Wilks, 19, and the unconnected stabbing of Irfan Wahid, 16.

Members of the public can hand in any weapons they hold at selected police stations until 4 March.

YEP editor Hannah Thaxter told HTFP: “All police forces will run these amnesties from time to time, but in light of recent events in our city, in particular the fatal stabbing of a 16-year-old as he got off the bus on his way home from school, we wanted to give the campaign the paper’s full backing and not just report that it was happening.”

Last week the newspaper carried what Hannah described as “one of the most moving front pages I have ever seen” following Mr Wahid’s death.

She added: “The family of the slain boy had said they forgave his killer and wanted his death to bring unity to the local community.

“The boy’s friends arranged a vigil in his name, asking anyone who had a difference or a grievance to come together and shake hands.

“We know that knives are carried in this city and that weapons will be used by some criminal elements in our society but our readers, the people who live and work here, do not want that to be the norm and to become something that we learn to live with.

“YEP is backing them and we shall continue to support all efforts to get weapons out of the hands of those who may use them in a hasty moment and end up taking a life.”