KNIFE crime in the region has increased by 83 per cent over the last five years, according to latest figures.

Home Office statistics show that West Yorkshire Police recorded 2,127 crimes in which knives were used between October 2016 and September last year, compared to 1,157 in 2012/13.

The most common offence recorded for those crimes was assault with injury or intent to cause serious harm. There were 1,016 such crimes recorded in the 12 months to September 2017, 48 per cent of all knife crimes.

There were 668 knife crimes involving robbery, 11 were murders, six attempted murders, 377 death threats, as well as 38 rapes and 11 sexual assaults.

Nationally, there were more than 37,000 recorded knife crimes across England and Wales between October 2016 and September 2017.

Detective Chief Inspector Chris Gibson, of Protective Services Crime at West Yorkshire Police, said: “Along with other forces nationally, we have improved our crime recording standards in recent years to accurately reflect all incidents involving weapons.

“Inevitably, this has resulted in an increase in statistics for knife-related crimes, albeit we recognise that it remains an emerging issue that must be addressed.

"We have, for instance, developed a presentation that safer schools officers can deliver warning about the dangers of carrying a knife. In November last year we also held a force-wide weapons surrender which was part of a national campaign to rid the streets of firearms.

“The public responded positively as more than 200 firearms, knives and swords were taken out of circulation.”

Last week, the Home Office published its serious violence strategy, which aims to prevent young people being drawn into lives of violence.

In a speech announcing the strategy, the Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, said that there were strong links between the rise in knife crime and drug dealing, with more than half of deaths since 2014 involving a victim or a suspect using or dealing drugs.

Among the measures announced were new restrictions to be placed on the online sale of knives, and a complete ban on certain weapons, including zombie knives.

Meanwhile, MP Philip Davies – whose Shipley seat includes Cullingworth and Denholme – said politicians should stop interfering in police matters if they are to tackle knife crime.

The Tory MP claimed that changes to stop and search rules had led to more deaths through knife crime.

Mr Davies called for action from the Prime Minister saying no one should die because of a politically-correct drive.

He added: “I want a commitment that government will let the police, our excellent police force, get on with doing their job without them having one hand or both hands tied behind their backs by politicians trying to flex their politically-correct muscles and sticking their nose in where it is not needed.”