A 15-YEAR-OLD boy has been accused of carrying a 14ins blade as police crackdown on knife crime.

The teenager is one of a string of people arrested after teams across the force carried out patrols and stop-checks.

He has been charged with possession of the weapon after being stopped and searched in Woodgrange Drive, Southend, at about 5.50pm on Tuesday. He is due to appear as Basildon Youth Court on Tuesday, August 8.

Other arrests were made for possession of drugs, drug driving and other driving offences while police were on the hunt for knives. The patrols and checks took place between 2pm and 10pm.

It was set up during a national week of action, codenamed Operation Sceptre, to tackle knife crime. Throughout the week, officers in Essex aimed to target and disrupt offenders who carry and use knives and other bladed weapons.

Martin Griffiths, who is a consultant vascular, endovascular and trauma surgeon, is urging people to think about the impact of knife crime.

He now works at Barts Health NHS Trust, in London, after previously working at Broomfield, in Chelmsford, and Colchester Hospital. He said: “I’m passionate about helping young people understand how knife crime can ruin lives. You have to show people what these weapons can do – the irrevocable damage.

“I’ve spent my career operating on the victims of trauma and the story never changes. There are no heroes in a resus bay. The victims are always in pain, scared, and alone. The surgery is bloody, brutal and short and finishes with either a critically unwell victim with life changing injuries, or a corpse. This madness has to stop.”

During the crackdown, a 39-year-old woman from Corringham was arrested on suspicion of possession of drugs after she was stopped in High Road, Pitsea. Following questioning in custody, she was later released without charge.

A 24-year-old woman from Hoddesdon, in Hertfordshire, was stopped in Nestuda Way, Southend, by roads policing officers at 5.40pm. She was arrested on suspicion of drug driving and has been released under investigation.

Officers also stopped a car in Priory Crescent, Southend, at around 4.20pm and arrested a 54-year-old man, of no fixed address, on suspicion of immigration offences. He was passed over to Border Force officials.

Over the course of the operation, 54 vehicles were stopped.

One driver was reported for driving without a licence and insurance, three people were not wearing seat belts, seven people had no MOTs and one person agreed to a community resolution for possession of cannabis.

Information about knife crime can be shared with Essex Police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Call 999 if there is the immediate prospect of violence.