The number of people convicted of carrying a knife in West Yorkshire has soared over the past decade, Government figures reveal.

Data published by the Ministry of Justice shows 514 people in the county were found guilty of possessing a blade in 2006 - up 193 from 321 in 1997.

A breakdown of the figures shows the bigger problem is with children carrying the weapons. In 1997, 54 children aged ten to 17 were convicted - compared with 112 in 2006.

The figures for over-18s have also risen from 267 to 402.

No details were given about the number of people given a caution, which prevented a full picture emerging of the true extent of illegal knife-carrying in the county.

The Conservatives described the figures, published in a written Parliamentary answer, as a reflection of the "spiralling" level of violent crime under Labour.

David Ruffley, Shadow Police Reform Minister, said: "Labour's complacent approach shows they are part of the problem, not the solution, and the public are paying the high, and all too often tragic, price."

Chris Huhne, Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said: "It is appalling that children should have access to, and the desire to use, offensive weapons of any sort. We need to see more intensive and visible policing in vulnerable areas.

"It's time the Government took gang gun crime and knife crime far more seriously with more incentives to stop and search in hotspots and a tough clampdown on gun smuggling."

But the Home Office, which is shortly due to publish its Tackling Violence Action Plan to deal with the problem, said the increase in those convicted of carrying knives illegally showed police and courts were taking appropriate action to support Government efforts to tackle knife crime.

A spokesman said: "The risk of being a victim of crime remains historically low but we recognise that young people particularly are fearful of becoming victims and some are carrying weapons."

Last week Prime Minister Gordon Brown ordered police officers in the 12 worst knife-crime areas to prosecute anyone found carrying a blade.

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