Police have seized a samurai sword and a machete in Highgate’s Hillcrest Estate.

It came after members of the estate’s new Neighbourhood Watch group alerted cops to “suspicious activity” from several males on Sunday last week, with one of them seen hiding a knife.

Highgate officers then patrolled the estate and found four further weapons on a sweep: one samurai sword, one machete and two hatchets.

Haringey Police volunteer Christina Davis praised the impact of the Neighbourhood Watch group, adding: “Having only been going for several months, this new group has already alerted the police to several stolen vehicles parked on the estate and other incidents of suspicious behaviour.

“If any other areas in Muswell Hill, Highgate or Crouch End are interested in forming a group, our co-ordinator Pauline Syddell would be very glad to hear from you.”

She can be emailed on pauline.syddell@met.police.uk