POLICE have recovered more than 250 weapons from schools in Greater Manchester over the past two years.

Children as young as six-year-old have been found with potentially deadly weapons in their possession.

Responses to Freedom of Information requests by the PA news agency show knives, knuckle dusters and claw hammers have been caught in the possession of some pupils, along with more unusual weapons such as a samurai sword and a pair of gardening shears.

Weapons have also been found in possession of adults, with suspects aged 26 and 33-years-old. The most common age of children bringing weapons to school was 14-year-olds, with 47 suspects between April 2017 and July 2019.

Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney, National Police Chiefs' Council lead for children and young people, said: "Serious violence is a growing problem amongst young people and we continue to work closely with partners to address this. Police involvement in schools helps us to educate young people and explain why carrying a weapon is never the right choice."