'Let's target weapons'

That's an average of six a day, most belonging to young people who feel the need to carry them for "protection".

With seven of the county's 14 murders in 2005-06 commited with blades, they are the curse of our county.

Brighton and Hove's Regency, Queen's Park and St Peter's and North Laine wards all made the top ten for the most weapons crimes.

There have been some horrifying headlines in recent weeks about teenagers being shot and killed in gang warfare in London.

But, despite Sussex's proximity to the capital, those terrifying events haven't been replicated in the county.

Gun crime is down, from 106 reported incidents in 2004-05 to 85 in 2005-06.

Central ward in Worthing had the highest number of firearms offences.

Many Sussex residents have become victims of the weapons culture and some still bear the scars.

Alhassan Kamara's throat was cut by a man yelling racial abuse and wielding a knife at Worthing railway station in 2003.

He needed 18 stitches following the attack.

Mr Kamara, who is also known as Alaska, was a 17-year-old student at the time.

Brett Charlton, of Thorn Road, Worthing, was initially sentenced to ten months in prison for the attack.

This was later extended to three years after the Crown Prosecution Service appealed.

Mr Kamara now lives in London but the attack has left a legacy of fear. He said: "When I am alone I am wary of people around me.

"I wasn't happy with the sentence the man who did this to me received.

"It should have been longer. The judge is just encouraging people to walk with a knife."

Jack Saheid, of Worthing, was the victim of three armed robberies in a fortnight.

The attacks took place in 2002 while Mr Saheid was working in his post office. During the first attack he tackled the robber, who was armed with a gun.

A week later, there were two more robberies, involving a different man who was armed with a knife on both occasions.

During the final attack, Mr Saheid, a councillor in Worthing, was repeatedly kicked and told he was going to be killed.

He said: "Anyone convicted of violence should serve their full term and should not be let out early to walk the streets terrorising postmasters.

"They should be punished in a more effective manner.

"Youngsters claim they carry weapons for protection but this is just an excuse.

"They shouldn't be allowed to buy them in the first place. The ideal answer is to educate them how serious carrying weapons is."

He said police should hold more knife amnesties like the national scheme held in 2006.

It netted 3,700 knives and other weapons in Sussex, including two eight-bladed "tarantulas".

Officers were shocked by the number of weapons collected from smaller towns and villages in the county.

In Brighton and Hove, which has the most incidents of weapons crime in the county, 266 were dropped in bins at police stations.

In Bexhill, which has relatively low levels of knife crime, 327 blades were collected.

In Horsham, which has a population of 45,000, 307 knives were handed in and in Haywards Heath 172 were dropped off.

PC Caroline Adams is a youth safety officer for Sussex Police.

She trains officers who visit schools to educate youngsters about weapons.

She said the group most likely to carry knives was boys aged 15 and older.

They often carry them for their own "protection", fearing they will become victims of violent crime themselves.

PC Adams said their fears were usually unfounded. She said: "We ask them how many have been threatened with knives and usually no one puts their hand up.

"Some may have witnessed others being threatened but they won't have been themselves.

"We try to address that attitude and get them to realise they are more vulnerable with weapons.

"We ask them, if they take them out, what are they going to do next?"

Knives are the most popular form of weapon and, according to PC Adams, the majority are penknives with blades less than 3in long, which are legal to own.

They only become illegal when they are taken out with the intention of using them offensively.

PC Adams said: "The weapons are often discovered when there is some sort of other assault and people are searched and weapons are found.

"I don't think the problem is getting any worse.

"There is always a core group of people who feel the need to carry them."

One of PC Adams's colleagues, PC Chris Thompson, came face-toface with a man brandishing a samurai sword while on duty in Brighton centre in October last year.

PC Thompson knocked the sword out of the man's hands and sprayed pepper spray into his face.

The man had threatened to slash a group of youngsters as he walked down New England Street towards the busy Preston Circus area.

He was later detained under the Mental Health Act.

Speaking at the time, PC Thompson described the moment the man attacked.

He said: "He came at me with the sword and attempted to slash me with it.

"I knocked the sword out of his hand and got the handcuffs on straight away."

One community took action when youngsters in the area began buying "BB guns" and swapping the plastic pellets for ball bearings.

A seemingly innocent toy was, simply and cheaply, transformed into a potentially lethal weapon.

Across Brighton's Whitehawk estate, part of East Brighton ward, residents reported animals, buses, and people being shot at with the guns.

Estate resident Maggie Smeeth teamed up with friends and neighbours to take action.

They organised a BB gun amnesty, where they swapped the weapons for water pistols.

They also patrol markets across the county, monitoring traders to ensure they aren't selling the guns to children.

Mrs Smeeth said: "Traders need to take more responsibility. It's something we want to stop. They will start coming back again if we don't keep up a high profile.

"The situation here has turned around - it's very good now but we continue monitoring the markets."

Mrs Smeeth wants anybody with concerns about BB guns to call her on 07884 456576.

To see the statistics for weapons offences in Sussex, click here.