Security guards confiscated more than 2,000 items of contraband from Kent's major courts last year.

Staff at the county's combined courts in Maidstone and Canterbury confiscated 2,093 items in 2021 which included knives, alcohol, drugs, and sharp objects.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) were asked how many times prohibited items have been seized by court security staff since 2017. More unusual items which were confiscated last year include:

Tools: Canterbury (85), Maidstone (21)

Cutlery: Canterbury (303), Maidstone (12)

Glass bottles: Canterbury (47), Maidstone (49)

Motorcycle helmets: Canterbury (17), Maidstone (43)

A Freedom of Information request made by the Local Democracy Reporting Service revealed both courts have seen someone try to bring a firearm into the buildings once in the last four years.

Additionally, alcohol has been taken away 358 times.

Last year, there were 22 knives with a blade under three inches and 87 sharp objects which were confiscated from visitors to Canterbury Combined Court Centre in Chaucer Road.

In comparison, 20 of these knives and 39 other sharp objects had to be taken off people at Maidstone's courts in 2021.

A spokesman for the MoJ said: "Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service take the issue of security within courts and tribunals extremely seriously and have a robust security and safety system to protect all court users and the judiciary.

"This system includes mandatory bag searches, metal detectors and surveillance cameras, as well as Court Security Officers who have legislative powers to protect all those in our court and tribunal buildings.

"There are proportionate and robust search on entry procedures in place and these are primarily focused on weapons of concern.

"Our security system is continually monitored to ensure that it is effective and proportionate and mitigates against the risks faced.

"The safety and security of court users and staff is our first priority."