Curse of the knife.

BLADE deaths rising in high-crime areas targeted by a police crackdown is a failure of law enforcement.

Forces targeting teenagers made the fatal mistake of overlooking older thugs who are out of control, stabbing and slashing victims.

These twenty-something gangsters are responsible for most knife killings and they need to feel the long arm of the law - the risk of arrest with the threat of a jail sentence is still a deterrent to all except the most hardened of criminals.

Yet the 13 per cent drop in offences involving weapons in the 10 areas is evidence that tough action can work if it is extended to all age groups.

Stop-and-searches and greater use of technology, including hand-held and airport-style detectors, will Stop Knives Save Lives.

Parents, carers and teachers, as well as the police and politicians, all have parts to play.

The blood on our streets and the bodies in our mortuaries are not inevitable but a curse that can be lifted if we all campaign together.