Children as young as 10 caught carrying guns, knives and deadly weapons around the Black Country

Police have revealed that 67 under 18s have been suspected of firearms offences, while more than 1,000 have been caught with knives and other weapons over the four years.

An 11-year-old was found in possession of a gun, while sixteen 10 year-olds have been charged or suspected of carrying knives since 2014.

The figures were released under the Freedom of Information Act and comes as the West Midlands is gripped by a violence crime spree led by the re-emergence of deadly gang warfare.

Black Country Liberal Democrat campaigner Sarah Quarmby said: “As a mum it is pretty horrifying to hear of armed ten-year-olds roaming our streets. These children aren't old enough to have a Facebook account but yet are carrying deadly weapons around with them. It sends a shiver down your spine.

"We have a knife crime epidemic and the police need to do far more to crack down on it."

West Midlands Labour Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said: "This highlights once again the importance of educational work to warn young people of the dangers of carrying weapons.

"A young person deciding to carry a weapon can lead to horrific events.

"I fund work in schools every day of the year and am looking to increase resources I put into moving young people away from carrying weapons and committing violence."

Superintendent Ian Parnell, West Midlands Police’s lead on knife crime, said: “There has been an increase in knife crime, ranging from possession offences at one end to murder at the other.

“In the vast majority of knife crimes, no one is injured and it’s a case where a knife has been seen or threatened rather than used.

“We acknowledge that knives are the weapon of choice, but we are working really hard with retailers, schools and partners to remove knives from the streets of the West Midlands.

“We’re promoting the use of knife bins and in September had a week of activity in relation to knives. We conduct sweeps of parks and public spaces to remove them and are working with retailers and Trading Standards around sales to young people.

“We’re also delivering the Precious Lives project in schools, which is a hard-hitting presentation on the dangers of carrying a knife, and ensuring those who do carry a knife are robustly dealt with through the criminal justice system.

Superintendent Parnell said there was now better reporting of knife crime from schools, and more efforts from police to understand why young people feel the need to carry bladed weapons.

He added: “If you carry a knife, there’s a real danger that you will be caught and arrested and a real danger that it can be taken off you and used against you."