•It is a criminal offence to have in a public place any item that has a blade, or is sharply pointed. This includes scissors, kitchen knives and craft knives.

•It is illegal for anyone under 18 to buy a knife of any sort.

•It is illegal to carry a knife for self-defence.

•If you are caught by police carrying a knife, even if it was for your protection or you were carrying it for someone else, you will be arrested and prosecuted.

•If you use a knife, even in self-defence, you could be charged with assault with intent, or even worse.

•You can go to prison even if you didn’t use the knife..

•Police can stop and search anyone they believe is carrying a knife.

•Carrying a knife significantly increases your chances of getting stabbed yourself.

•If someone is injured or killed by a knife in your presence, you could be prosecuted even if you didn’t touch the knife. You could even go to prison for murder in what is called ‘joint enterprise’.

•There is no ‘safe place’ to stab someone. A wound in the arm or leg can still kill someone if an artery is severed.

•If a knife punctures an artery you can bleed to death within five minutes.

•Carrying a knife or weapon will lead to permenant exclusion from school.

•If you are concerned about someone carrying a knife – report it!