As part of a national week of action around knife crime, officers from the Stevenage Safer Neighbourhood Team have been visiting primary schools in the town, to help educate children about the dangers of carrying a knife.

Police officers visited Longmeadow, Broom Barns, Bedwell and Featherstone Wood primary schools to speak to children in Year 6 who will be starting secondary school in September.

Neighbourhood sergeant Matt Mcginnigle said: "We take knife crime very seriously in Stevenage and know that we have to find effective ways to get the message across to young people about the dangers and consequences of choosing to carry a knife.

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"It is important to try and educate children before they become involved. The schools have been very supportive, and we hope this will be a great way to get young people to really think about knife crime and the consequences."

If you have any information about knife-related crime, you can report it at herts.police.uk/report, speak to an operator in the Communications Room via the online web chat at herts.police.uk/contact or call the non-emergency number 101.

Alternatively, you can stay anonymous by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their untraceable online form at crimestoppers-uk.org.