AN anti-knife campaigner has spoken of an epidemic after five knives were found on the same day in Dovercourt.

Caroline Shearer set up Only Cowards Carry after her son Jay Whiston, 17, was fatally stabbed at a house party in six years ago.

She has spoken out on a 15-year-old and 16-year-old due to appear in court after being charged for possession of four knives in a public place.

The charges have come after a stop and search was carried out at Dovercourt Station last Friday at 1.30pm.

Caroline, from Clacton, said: "Everybody knows knife crime is up.

"It’s now at an epidemic proportion and people think its necessary to carry one but their protection is more dangerous than they know.

"We have a problem where people are running around with weapons and they don’t realise the damage they can do."

She said she's been working with the Home Office in an attempt to battle the issue of knife crime.

"A total of 75 per cent of youths who carry a knife have their own blade is used against them,"she added.

Police also found a knife last Friday evening when they conducted a search on a group of youngsters in Station Lane, Dovercourt.

Officers disturbed a group aged between 15 and 20 who quickly dispersed and the knife was found nearby.

Some were later stopped and searched and one juvenile was arrested for possession of cannabis and the grinder shown was taken.

Charlie Powell, Harwich mayor, said: "The youths are not getting a fair chance and all seem to be painted with the same brush.

"The problem relates to the Government cutting the police force."

The knife reports come just weeks after a man in his 30s was stabbed in High Street, Dovercourt, on October 25.

Inspector Darren Deex said he has witnessed first-hand the devastating injuries caused by knives including victims who have tragically lost their lives.

He said: "One of the hardest parts of our job is to tell the families of victims that they have lost a loved one in such a tragic way and I would urge anyone who feels the need to carry knives to dispose of them safely and step away from the false glamour of knife crime.

"Whether you intend to use it or not – if we find one in your possession you will be arrested and prosecuted.

"I hope these incidents reassure the local community that we are proactively searching people in the area and will deal positively with offences we find."

Two teenagers from Harwich will appear at Colchester Magistrates' Court on December 4.

They were released on bail until this date.

Forensic analysis will take place for the incident with the discarded knife.