A POLICE initiative has been launched to combat the rise of knife crime involving primary school children in Waltham Forest.

Officers will visit four schools in Walthamstow in an attempt discourage pupils from joining gangs and using weapons.

PC Daniel Fox, of High Street Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “We're aware that there are a lot of these types of projects going into secondary schools.

We're concerned primary schools are getting ignored.”

He added that knife crime is a particular priority within the ward and figures show children of primary school age are often involved in knife incidents.

In partnership with Walthamstow-based educational initiative Spark2Life, the campaign will be aimed at pupils aged nine to eleven.

“That age is where they can be influenced before they get into gangs,” PC Fox said.

“In total, we'll be talking to about 250 pupils.” The primary school sessions will include an introduction from police as well as a presentation from Chris Palmer, of Spark2Life.

Children will also be encouraged to come up with ways to persuade their peers not to carry knives.

PC Fox said: “If their brother or sister or friend comes and says to them they're thinking of joining a gang that uses knives, we ask what three reasons would they give them not to.”

He added that the scheme had been “welcomed with open arms” by headteachers and could be repeated in other schools around the borough if it is successful in Walthamstow.

“I've spoken to officers from the Safer Schools Team as they're used to doing this type of presentation,” PC Fox said.

“Without too much experience myself, I was talking to them about what sort of information needs to be included.”

The campaign received £400 of funding from the Better Neighbourhoods Initiative and is the first of its kind in the borough.

Mission Grove, Coppermill, St Patrick's and Stoneydown Park primary schools will all be part of the campaign.