The number of children convicted for carrying knives in Sussex has risen five-fold.

The latest figures show 33 under- 18s were convicted in court on knife possession offences, compared to just six in 1997.

It is one of the biggest leaps in any police force area in the country.

The statistics, released under the Freedom of Information Act, reveal that there has been a steady increase despite efforts to tackle youth knife crime in the county.

Anti-knife campaigners say more needs to be done to tackle the growing problem in the county.

Shoreham mother Helen Long, whose 15-year-son Michael Morgan was stabbed to death in 2007, said teenagers do not pay attention to the dangers of carrying a knife.

Mrs Long said: “They just don’t seem to be listening. I don’t think courts or police are tough enough.

“The justice system is very lenient on them. I would like to see all those that are carrying knives get an automatic jail sentence.

“But that is not going to happen because prisons are overcrowded.”

She added: “They should learn from what we went through and what other people have gone through since Michael’s death.”

Fatal Stabbing

The Crew Club was launched in Whitehawk after the fatal stabbing of Jay Kensett in 1999.

Manager Darren Snow, who set up the club in Coolmore Drive with his wife Lorraine, said young people need to “understand the consequences” of carrying a knife.

He said: “There are stats out there that a lot of young people who carry knives end up being the victims of their own knife. If you pull a knife it puts you in a vulnerable position.

“There needs to be a deterrent so young people think twice.

“For those young people willing to use a knife then whatever you say it will probably not make a difference.

But for most young people if they are kind of getting a slap on the wrist then that doesn’t send the right message.”

Ben Duncan, a member of Sussex Police Authority, said there needed to be more police on the streets, school liaison officers and neighbourhood policing but said these would be affected by the cuts.

He also called on trading standards officials to do more to stop retailers from selling blades to youngsters.

In the past Sussex Police has promised to take tougher action against people caught carrying knives and in 2009 officers were ordered to prosecute people aged 18 or over caught with a blade, rather than giving them cautions.

However yesterday no one from the force was available for comment.