There were more than 1,000 crimes where someone was caught with a knife in Leicestershire in the past three years. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the vast majority of these occurred in Leicester.

The Home Office recorded 606 incidents of knife possession in the city in the three years to the end of March 2024. In the most recent year, 230 such crimes were committed, up from 182 in the year ending March 2023 and 194 in the year ending March 2022. Over the three years, this equates to 162.3 knife offences per 100,000 residents in the city.

Charnwood had the most incidents of knife possession of all the county areas. The three year total for the borough, which includes the town of Loughborough, was 115. Some 36 of these were last year, with 34 in 2022/23 and 45 in 2021/22. Together these represent a rate of 62.2 crimes per 100,000 people.

There were 76 such offences in North West Leicestershire, figures show. This split into 24 for the most recent year's data, then 21 and 31. There were 70.6 of these crimes per 100,000 residents.

Hinckley and Bosworth borough came in next at 18, 19 and 22 crimes for the last three years – a total of 59. This shows a knife crime rate of 51.6 per 100,000.

Melton came in close behind for the total number of incidents of possession of a bladed weapon at 50. However, the district is smaller than Hinckley and Bosworth, so the rate of these crimes was 95.4 per 100,000. There were 15 last year, 12 the year before and 23 before that.

There were 39 offences in Blaby district during the same three-year period – 15, nine and 15 again. This equates to 37.4 per 100,000 people.

Harborough saw 11 crimes last year, with 17 and six in the two proceeding years – a total of 34 or 33.8 per 100,000 residents. Oadby and Wigston had the fewest recorded knife crimes at just 25 over three years – eight, eight and nine going back through the years. However, the borough's rate was higher than Harborough's at 42.9 crimes per 100,000.

The statistics come as retailers call for a clampdown on online sales of "zombie-style" blades – a knife with a cutting edge, a serrated edge, and images or words suggesting it is used for violence – following the horrific attack on a Taylor Swift dance class in Southport earlier this week. Three children aged six, seven and nine, tragically lost their lives in the attack.

A 17-year-old youth, Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, has now been charged with three counts of murder, 10 of attempted murder, and possession of a bladed article. The Home Office has said it will be carrying out a surrender and compensation scheme for such weapons.

Government figures show knife crime has rocketed in the UK over the last decade. In the year ending March 2024, there were more than 51,000 serious offences including murder, rape, robbery, assault, and sexual assault that involved the use of a knife. While that figure has remained stable from the previous year, it is nearly double the 28,000 offences that involved a blade in the year ending March 2014, the Reach Data Unit said.

Crime figures also show that 27,500 offences of possessing a knife were recorded last year. That was a 3 per cent fall from the previous year but more than triple the 9,000 offences recorded a decade ago.

It is illegal to carry most knives in public without a "good reason" that could include for work purposes, religious reasons, or as part of a national costume. But certain knives, such as a flick knife or a "zombie knife", are banned outright. The maximum sentence for carrying a knife in a public place or being caught in possession of a banned knife is four years in prison.

New legislation passed by the last government earlier this year now makes it illegal to possess, sell, or manufacture zombie-style knives – which are the same as a zombie knife but without the "distinct images or threatening wording that incites violence". Retailers and members of the public have until September 24 to surrender this type of weapon and receive a standard compensation of £10.

The British Retailers Association (Bira) says that while "responsible high street retailers" are taking a crucial role in preventing the sale of knives, it is far too easy to purchase a weapon online.

Bira CEO Andrew Goodacre said: "We are all appalled by the level of knife crime in the UK and of course of the shocking and tragic events in Southport this week.

"Independent retailers have consistently demonstrated their commitment to responsible retailing, diligently implementing all regulations controlling the sale of knives. As these new regulations come into effect, I'm sure our members will, without hesitation, remove any banned knives from their shelves.

"The real challenge lies in the largely unregulated online marketplace. I strongly urge the new government to fully address the issue of online sales, which is where we believe the real problem lies due to the easy availability of dangerous knives.

"While we welcome the Government's efforts to remove dangerous weapons from our streets, including this compensation scheme for retailers, we must not overlook the significant role that online sales play in this issue. It's time for a comprehensive approach that holds online retailers to the same high standards as our high street shops."