Knife carrying doubles in decade

Knives handed in at an amnesty in Yorkshire

The number of people carrying knives in Yorkshire and the Humber region has more than doubled in the past 10 years, police figures show.

The region's police charged 588 people for knife possession in 2006 compared to 228 in 1997, official figures show.

West Yorkshire's charges rose from 53 to 214 in the same period, with South Yorkshire climbing from 68 to 169.

Humberside Police saw figures more than double from 60 to 135, whilst North Yorkshire's rate went up from 47 to 70.

'Growing problem'

The number of children carrying knives has also tripled across the region, with 135 people aged 10-17 arrested in 2006, compared to 45 in 1997.

Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart requested the statistics from the Home Office in a parliamentary question.

He said: "These figures confirm what many people already suspected, that knife crime is a growing problem for communities across Yorkshire and the Humber.

"Overall crime may be down, but people are feeling more and more vulnerable on the region's streets."

'Cuts and bruises'

Last year the Royal Armouries in Leeds launched a nationwide campaign NTK - No To Knives- to educate people about the dangers of carrying knives.

Museum director Peter Armstrong said: "Because of the weapons in the armoury, we have a responsibility to address what knives can do in today's society.

"10 years ago if a young person ended up in a fight they were bruised but now knives are pulled.

"Children in primary schools think they need a knife for protection for when they go to high school. We are trying to get across that if you carry a knife you are actually at a greater risk."