Police have made more than 900 arrests and taken over 350 weapons off the streets of London since the launch of a two-month crackdown on crime and anti-social behaviour.

Operation Winter Nights co-ordinated everyday policing activities and operations throughout November and December across the Met Police's 32 boroughs.

Officers targeted knife crime under Operation Sceptre and scooter, moped and motorbike enabled crime under Operation Venice. It also included dealing with criminal activity at winter markets.

Police chiefs say various tactics were used during the operation, which included more than 1,300 weapon sweeps; forensic tagging sprays to tackle offenders on scooters and an increase in visible police officers and neighbourhood policing.

Officers recovered a total of 278 knives, 61 offensive weapons and 20 firearms.

The arrests made included 334 following stop and search and 106 arrests for offensive weapon and for knife possession offences.

Test purchase operations were also conducted by volunteer Police Cadets alongside local trading standards officers across the capital.

Proactive operations to target repeat knife crime offenders were also carried out, aimed at tackling those wanted in connection with knife-related offences and violent crime.

Chief Superintendent Simon Messinger, the Met's operational lead for Winter Nights, said: "This operation has seen all 32 boroughs working together to enable the Met to intensify its work to keep the public safe and make the streets and roads hostile territory for criminals.

"The co-ordinated and intelligence-led policing approach gave officers the opportunity to proactively and reactively deal with any emerging issues.

"This included daily patrols in cars and on motorcycles and bicycles, automatic number plate reader (ANPR) deployments, detectives conducting specialised investigations and operations, intelligence led action on individuals, and DNA capture."

He added: "We are building upon the good practices established during the Winter Nights operation to help us to continue targeting criminal activity and protecting the communities of London."