Knife crime every 24 minutes

One offence involving a knife is committed every 24 minutes of the day, new figures from 37 police forces revealed last night.

The data, obtained by The Mail on Sunday under the Freedom of Information Act, showed there were 5,500 serious crimes involving knives in just three months this year. The statistic equates to one every 24 minutes. It includes 55 knife-related murders and more than 2,000 stabbings.

London, Manchester and Birmingham are the worst-affected areas, while West Yorkshire, Merseyside and Northumbria police forces were also in the top 10.

During just April, May and June this year, the Metropolitan Police recorded 1,580 offences – more than quarter of the national total. A breakdown reveals 17 people are stabbed or robbed at knifepoint in the capital every day.