FIVE PEOPLE STABBED TO DEATH EVERY WEEK; Killings hit record STOP KNIVES SAVE LIVES For Ben ..for everyone DAILY Mirror.

Byline: BY JAMES LYONS 

KNIFE deaths have soared to record levels with thugs killing five people a week.

Figures out yesterday revealed 277 died by the blade last year - up more than a third on a decade ago.

The shocking number of deaths, the highest since records began in 1977, add weight to the Mirror's Stop Knives, Save Lives campaign.

Prisons minister David Hanson has pledged tougher community sentences for yobs caught carrying knives who escape jail.

He said: "Where jail is the best option, I'll always make sure there are enough prison places and more people are going to prison for knife-related crime.

"But we also want to see tougher and more effective community sentences."

From next month, those spared jail will have to put in 18 hours community work a week.

There were 19 more knife deaths last year, up from 258 in 2006/2007 and 219 in the 12 months before that. There were 135 in 1977. In London knife murders were up from 68 to 86.

The figures were uncovered by Tory crime spokesman James Brokenshire. He said: "We must also address the underlying causes of crime, such as drugs, family breakdown and gang culture."

MIRROR'S DEMANDS

1 Give our police tools to catch knife thugs

2 Launch amnesty to bring in the blades

3 Nurses must report treating stab victims

4 Teach all pupils that knives solve nothing

5 Texts and internet will help win battle

CAPTION(S):

DANGER Knife thugs are on the increase