KNIFE crime in Dorset has soared by 84 per cent in just seven years, figures reveal - but police insist rates are still among the lowest in the country.

Anti-knife crime charity the Ben Kinsella Trust warns surging knife crime rates are no longer confined to major cities across England and Wales, and that "every village, town and city" should be aware of the scale of the crisis.

Dorset Police recorded 273 offences involving a knife or a sharp weapon in 2019-20, Office for National Statistics data shows.

That was up 84 per cent from the 148 reported in 2012-13, when comparable records were first published.

There were roughly 35 knife or sharp weapon offences per 100,000 people in Dorset last year – a record high, and up from 20 per 100,000 seven years earlier.

Chief Inspector Gavin House, of Dorset Police, said: “In Dorset we do not have the extent of knife crime that is reported in some major metropolitan areas of the country. We have one of the lowest number of knife crime rates per 1,000 population compared to similar Force areas and our county remains a safe place to live, work and visit.

“In 2019 there were 262 recorded knife crimes in Dorset. This number increased by 27 crimes to a total of 289 in 2020. While we have seen an increase recently, this remains by a relatively small number of incidents.

“The way we record crime and the systems we use have changed since 2012, which may have attributed to a change in the number of knife crimes recorded.

“Part of the rise in reported knife-related incidents is due to proactive neighbourhood policing. Officers regularly carry out checks on vulnerable victims that are targeted by county lines drug dealers, which can result in knives being seized.

“Despite the rise in incident numbers, in 2020 Dorset saw a decrease in the number of knife crimes that resulted in injury.

“However, we are not complacent. Dorset Police has a knife crime strategy that sees us work together with partner agencies and our communities to reduce knife crime in all forms and amongst all age groups.

“By working closely with partners – ranging from schools to retailers and transport workers – Dorset Police is committed to preventing people from carrying knives and engaging in knife crime. We also work with victims and vulnerable people, such as those who may be exploited by county lines drugs gangs, to reduce the impact of knife crime on our communities.

“Intelligence-led policing allows us to concentrate our resources on the most relevant geographical areas and sectors of society, disrupting and prosecuting those involved in knife crime.

“We also regularly take part in the national Op Sceptre knife amnesty campaign and carry out other proactive work to raise awareness of the issues around knife crime.

“People who carry knives are at greater risk of harm themselves as situations involving knives can escalate quickly.

“The maximum penalty for an adult carrying a knife is four years in prison and an unlimited fine. You’ll get a prison sentence if you’re convicted of carrying a knife more than once.

Knife crime has risen across England and Wales in recent years, the ONS said, with a record 50,000 offences recorded by police in the year leading up to the coronavirus crisis.

Of those, 22,012 (44%) were for assault with injury or assault with intent to cause serious harm, and 21,961 (44%) were used in a robbery.

The ONS said despite improved crime recording methods, increases are likely to reflect a real rise in the number of knife and sharp weapon offences nationally.

Patrick Green, chief executive of the Ben Kinsella Trust, said the latest figures are "frightening".

"Tragically, knife crime has become embedded into our society, affecting generation after generation," he added.

"We are no longer simply dealing with a sudden jump in knife crime, this problem has been growing and getting worse every year.

"The Government needs to change its approach. We are beyond the point where we can arrest our way out of this problem, we must do more to tackle the root causes of knife crime.

"This means a greater focus on prevention and early intervention to stop knives being carried in the first place."

Separate ONS figures show knife crime soared by 25% between July and September last year as lockdown restrictions were lifted.

Mr Green said the charity is already seeing an increase in the crime ahead of the planned easing of restrictions in the coming weeks.

The latest data also reveals the number of gun crimes recorded by police forces in England and Wales.

Dorset Police recorded 44 offences involving a gun in 2019-20, in line with a year earlier.

The figures include offences where a firearm has been fired, used as a blunt instrument or as a threat, but exclude any involving air weapons.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Too many young lives are being needlessly lost. We are working closely with the police and others to stop this senseless bloodshed, particularly as Covid restrictions are eased over coming months.

"We are making sure the police have the resources and support they need, including bolstering their ranks with 20,000 new officers.

"At the same time, the Government is investing millions into Violence Reduction Units to tackle the root causes of violent crime, while our £200 million Youth Endowment Fund supports vital projects that steer young people away from a life of crime."