2,500 WEAPONS SEIZED IN SCHOOLS

Wail of time for Kate Guns & swords carried by kids

SAMURAI swords, axes, airguns and knives are among thousands of weapons seized in schools in just two years.

Some of the potentially-lethal items were being carried by children as young as five, according to figures from police forces in England and Wales.

At least one in five incidents involved knives. And the number of weapons being found is believed to be rising.

A total of 2,579 weapons have been confiscated by police since 2015, but the figure is expected to be far higher because some forces did not provide data.

According to the 24 forces that gave details on weapon types, just under 500 of those seized were knives including Samurai swords.

Missile

Other weapons confiscated by cops included at least 26 guns, including BB guns, air rifles and an imitation firearm. More unusual weapons included a police baton, a rolling pin, a can of beer and a 15-inch metal rod. One pupil was caught brandishing an unwound paperclip. At least 47 children found with weapons were under 10, the age of criminal responsibility when they can face prosecution. This included ® three five-year-olds. One of them was caught with a knife while another had a “missile” – a rock.

A handful of forces offered historical data that had weapons including a guillotine, a Taser gun and a ukulele.

In 2016/17, 1,369 weapons were found, a rise of almost 20% on the previous year.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council spokesman on knife crime, Chief Constable Alf Hitchcock, said: “Schools should be free of weapons and all children should be able to learn without fear or violence.

“We have recently seen an increase in young people carrying knives and this is worrying.

“We are responding by targeting those who carry them illegally.”