Two boys aged 8 find weapon hidden in play park in Milton Keynes town

Police were not interested to hear about a hidden knife found by two small boys in a play park, it has been claimed today.

The knife was found in Newport Pagnell by two eight year olds.

It followed a spate of anti social behaviour in the town, including one major incident involving youths and weapons last month.

This incident prompted a response involving armed police, chases and the police helicopter, say residents, who were afterwards issued with official police warning letters asking them to be vigilant.

The knife was found last Friday in a spot allegedly connected to this incident. The mother of one of the boys put on latex gloves and went to retrieve it, then called police on 101 according to the instructions on the warning letter.

"However, she was told unless there is blood on it dispose of it basically they are not interested," said a witness.

He added: "What good does sending leaflets do when you contact police and they do nothing?

"A few months before the last incident we had four car loads of youths outside with ice picks and knives which nothing happened about either, although it was all logged by police."

A police spokesman told the Citizen: "Thames Valley Police takes reports of serious violence involving weapons seriously, and we would always encourage such matters to be reported to us so that we can take action to bring offenders to justice, as well as safeguard anyone who is identified as being of risk.

"Keeping weapons off the streets of Milton Keynes is a priority for us as a policing team. Anyone who finds a knife or who wishes to safely dispose of one can do so using the orange amnesty bin located in the front counter of Milton Keynes police station. If you believe the knife has been used in crime then please report this to us on 101."

The spokesman added: "On 10 July this year, an incident took place in Newport Pagnell involving four males armed with hammers and bladed articles. The force acted quickly in response to this and enacted a Section 60 order, which was extended the following day, meaning it was active for 48 hours.

Section 60 orders are enacted when a senior police officer believes that serious violence will take place, or has already taken place. These orders enhance the stop and search powers of officers, allowing them to search people without needing to suspect that they may be carrying weapons. This means that there will be an increased number of officers in the area while the order is active.

"In relation to this incident in Newport Pagnell, five arrests have been made in connection with the investigation, those arrested have been released on bail, and the matter continues to be investigated."

The spokesman said community engagement was an "integral element of policing."

He added: "Only by working with our local communities will we be able to make a strong and sustained difference to serious violence in Milton Keynes.

"Local residents and businesses know their communities and know when something doesn’t seem right. Their input and knowledge can help to highlight areas of concern to the police and can support in tackling violence and the underlying causes from a different standpoint.

"Anyone can report crime or something that concerns them on our website at www.thamesvalley.police.uk or by calling 101. Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their website."