KIDS FOUND CARRYING KNIVES AT SCHOOL

MORE than 20 children have been found carrying knives at schools in Coventry as the city continues to battle against youth violence.

New figures obtained by the Telegraph show that 21 pupils aged between six and 16 were caught with knives on school grounds since 2014.

This includes primary and secondary schools, as well as academies.

The shocking figures were revealed following a Freedom of Information request to West Midlands Police.

Below, you can see the breakdown for the number of and what weapons have been confiscated over the past few years.

2014 - one (lock knife)

2015 - two (lock knife and knife unknown)

2016 - five (two not known, one knife unknown, one lock knife and one craft knife)

2017 - six (three kitchen knife, one knife unknown, one pen knife and one flick knife)

2018 - five (two kitchen knife, one not known, one knife unknown and one lock knife)

2019 so far - two (knives unknown)

Across Coventry as a whole there have been over 30 reported stabbings so far in 2019, with nine of the victims being teenagers.

When asked by the Telegraph about the issue of knives in schools, Coventry Police Superintendent Phil Healy said: “We are undertaking a host of activity with our partners at schools across Coventry, including mentoring schemes and programmes like ‘Stay Safe’ and ‘It’s My Life’ which are designed to steer children away from crime.

“We also run Schools Panels across secondary and primary schools in Coventry - chaired by headteachers - where police and schools come together every term to discuss issues and share information. This includes on children who could be vulnerable, displaying concerning school absence rates or are living in a household that’s seen domestic violence.

“We give regular schools inputs on knife crime and violence aimed at steering pupils away from knife crime, warning of the consequences and encouraging them to make positive life choices.

“And through the city’s Violence Reduction Strategy we are looking to increase our activity to support young people and have commissioned service from Positive Youth Foundation & Catch 22 with mentoring schemes.”

Kirston Nelson, director of education at Coventry City Council, said: “We know how important it is for organisations to work in partnership and by taking this approach we can make sure we’re providing the best support for children, families and also schools.

“The school panels are really effective in supporting children and we are able to work together to support them and their families and to nip any issues in the bud early on before they can become more serious.”

A REPLICA of the first Riley car ever made has been unveiled in Coventry.

The authentic recreation of a car built in the city between 1896 and 1898 by automotive pioneer Percy Riley had the wraps lifted off it at Coventry Transport Museum.

The car will be on display at the museum and at the Classic Car Show before the second phase of a painstaking project that has been more than 20 years in the making is undertaken.

That involves creating a working engine to power the vehicle.

The plan is for the replica Riley to be completed by 2021 and for it then to go on show permanently in the city.

It is believed Percy Riley’s original Riley model was only the second car to take to the streets of Coventry.

The project is a hugely ambitious one as the original Riley car - which was built by Percy in the 1890s, when he was still just a schoolboy - no longer exists.

The Riley family can lay claim to having been involved in five of Coventry’s great industries weaving, watch making, bicycle, motorcycle and car making.

The Lord Mayor of Coventry, Cllr Linda Bigham, removed the wraps from the replica Riley.

She said: “The unveiling of a replica of the first Riley car is a fantastic event for our motoring city - a slice of our rich automotive past.

“Coventry is very proud to be the home of the British motor industry

“Our city is built on the ingenuity of people like the Riley family and their ground-breaking designs.

“That reputation is still there today through autonomous and connected vehicles.

“How fitting that we continue to pay tribute to the brains that built that good name. The name Riley is a key part of our city - the first home of the Riley company - the city that gave the world that little blue diamond that is so loved by car enthusiasts around the world.

“That history will always be celebrated by

Coventry - particularly in 2021.”

Victor Riley, a nephew of Percy Riley and whose grandfather William Riley Jr got the Riley automotive ball rolling, said: “The Riley family has had a long association with the city of Coventry - back to the reign of Elizabeth I and of course the trades for which Coventry is famous - weaving, watch-making, bicycles, tricars, motorcycles and cars.”

Mr Riley admitted the project had been an arduous and challenging one.

“The gestation of this project has been approximately 20 years and the setbacks have been enormous,” he added.

Mr Riley paid tribute to the efforts of Geoff Haviland, based in Bedfordshire, and Hertfordshirebased restoration specialist Philip

D’Archambaud - thanking them for their “sustained commitment to see the project through”.

He concluded: “It would be marvellous to meet again in 2020, when hopefully we will have the Riley moving with its own power source.

“But I think we can say today that Riley has returned to Coventry.”

Mr D’Archambaud, who runs Vintage Automobile Fabrication, said: “Geoff Haviland was heavily involved in the car and we had done quite a bit of work.

“He said would we be prepared to take on the project, which we did.”

Mr D’Archambaud said the replica project came with a fair few challenges.

“We only had two or three grainy black and white photographs of the original,” he said.

Although work started five years ago, Mr D’Archambaud said he understood the project was first mooted 21 years ago.

He added: “The most satisfying thing was when Victor came in and saw it for the first time.

“That was very pleasing. His face was a picture.”

The Riley family’s first foray into car making dates from well before Coventry became the epicentre of Britain’s car industry.

William Riley Jr, who was involved in the weaving industry, had seen the potential of bicycles.

He bought the Bonnick Cycle Company of Coventry, which had been founded in 1890 and in 1896 incorporated a company to own it named The Riley Cycle Company Limited.

Based in King Street, Coventry, it branched out into automobiles courtesy of Riley’s middle son, Percy.

Percy started building his first car aged just 16 in 1896.

It was the start of a two-year project, undertaken secretly, because his father did not approve.

It featured the first mechanically operated cylinder valves later developed by Benz and a feature which would become commonplace across the car industry.

By 1899 Percy Riley moved from producing motorcycles to his first prototype four-wheeled quadricycle.

On Percy Riley’s original car Victor Riley said: “The original was built by my uncle when he was still at school.

“He used to go into the

Riley Cycle Company toolroom when he was on holiday and at weekends, working away. It took him two years.

“It is alleged this was the second car on the streets of Coventry.”

The replica is one of a number of special Riley activities in the run-up to 2021.

The Riley Archive Project is another. It is setting-up home in Coventry at a unit in the city’s Canal Basin.

Mr Riley said the fate of Percy’s original car remains a mystery.

“Somehow or other the original went from Coventry to Belfast,” he said. I gather my father woke up one day and realised the value of holding on to it.”

He added: “He offered a £50 reward in the 1930s to get it back but there wasn’t any reaction.

“I think he kicked himself over letting it go.”

The Riley replica project relies on charitable donations. Anyone wishing to contribute to it can contact Victor Riley on 01743 340582.”