Plans to organise a national ‘hand in your weapons’ day have been dropped, despite having majority support in parliament, broadcaster NOS said on Tuesday.

MPs backed the plan after a similar campaign in Rotterdam last year generated a large number of knives and other weapons.

However a police spokesman said it has been impossible to find a date which would be suitable for all of the country’s individual police forces. In addition, the nationwide approach is not appropriate because weapons are not an issue in many parts of the country, he said.

‘It is up to local leaders – the mayors and police – to decide if they want to organise such an event and when that should be,’ the spokesman said. The Zeeland West Brabant force is holding a weapons surrender day later this month.

The Rotterdam amnesty netted 260 weapons and 650 kilos of ammunition, including 60 guns and 43 knives.