A Douglas shop has announced it will introduce tighter restrictions on knife sales, and eventually stop selling them altogether, in response to growing concerns over antisocial behaviour in the Isle of Man.

Extreme Art & Gadgets, based on Duke Street, said it will raise the minimum age for purchasing knives from 18 to 21 this week and begin winding down its range of pocket, camping and collector’s knives.

Owner Lee Watson said the move follows recent incidents in the island that have left the team ‘with their hearts in their mouths’.

In a social media post, he explained: ‘We at Extreme Art & Gadgets have decided to wind down our range of pocket, camping and movie knives due to the current rise in antisocial behaviour in the UK and on the island.

‘We have been stringent with our over-18 and “none eegit” sales policies since day one, but as of tomorrow, we’re raising the age to 21 until we have exhausted our stock levels.’

While statistics show the vast majority of knife crimes involve kitchen knives, Mr Watson said the decision was made out of caution and care for the local community.

‘Each time we hear an unfortunate incident has taken place on the island, our hearts are in our mouths,’ he wrote.

Although the store may reconsider stocking knives again in the future, the raised age limit and strict policy on who knives are sold to will remain in place.

The post was signed off with thanks from ‘Lee, James & Ole dog’ – the team behind the independent store, which is known for its wide range of collectables and pop culture merchandise.

The announcement has been widely praised by customers online, with one saying ‘it’s the correct call given what’s happening on the island at the moment’.

Another added: ‘Such a shame, the island never used to be like this’.