Weapons at schools: Pupil, 8, was suspect, West Mercia Police figures show

Items such as glass, a wooden mallet and a hockey stick were also all used as weapons in schools.

In the West Mercia region, which covers Shropshire, the youngest suspect was just eight years old.

The figures come as it was revealed there was a 35 per cent jump in the possession of weapons generally in Shropshire – and the revelation that more than 100,000 knives have now been taken off the streets thanks to the Knife Angel campaign based at the British Ironwork Centre.

Nationally, at least one in five incidents in schools involved knives, while the data suggests an overall increase in the number of weapons found on school premises.

In West Mercia during 2012/13, only 10 weapons were recorded as being used on school grounds by the force.

However last year, during 2016/17, more than 30 were reported, according to official figures released through a Freedom of Education request.

Some of those reported using a weapon on school grounds, or at the school gates, were teachers and parents. According to West Mercia Police, 13 incidents involved a teacher as the suspect while two involved a parent.

Police said it wasn’t possible to get the exact number of offences, as there could have been more than one weapon used in the same incident, or more than one offender.

Other weapons recorded by police included a wooden pencil holder in the shape of a wooden block, a coping blade, similar to a coping saw, a wooden cane and scissors. A leather strap was also used in one case, as well as two reports of hand guns.

One offender used a branch, while another used some crockery. Pens and pencils were also used as weapons in some cases.

According to the national findings, at least 47 children found with weapons were below 10 years old, the age at which someone can be prosecuted.

This included three five-year-olds, one of which was caught with a knife while another was found with a missile – typically a brick or a rock.

The British Ironwork Centre near Oswestry has led a national campaign aimed at getting knives off the streets.

So far, more than 100,000 have been donated by police forces across the country to the Knife Angel sculpture created by Alfie Bradley.

Clive Knowles from the centre said the latest crime figures were “alarming”.

He said: “When you’ve met mothers, parents and loved ones of those who have been killed by a bladed weapon, it’s devastating to know this is a trend that’s on the increase. I find that appalling.”