Croydon police's top brass are confident their crackdown on knife-crime is working, despite a 16-year-old girl being the latest stab victim in Thornton Heath just over a week ago.

Superintendent Adrian Roberts said Operation Blunt 2 was having an impact since it began three weeks ago but stressed it would require co-operation from the community to be successful in the long-term.

He said: "Croydon has already seen an increase in police activity such as visible patrols and the exercise of stop and search powers.

"It must be recognised this is not just a short-term fix.

"We are confident of achieving success if everyone works together. This will include identifying and responding to the drivers that make young people want to carry knives in the mistaken belief they are doing this for their own defence."

Borough Commander Mark Gore has been working with local organisations to help educate the community.

Supt Adrian Roberts: "We want to reduce the chances of young people being the victim of a knife-related crime and highlight how the decision to arm yourself with a knife makes you more likely to be the subject of a knife-related injury.

And he warned those still tempted that if you carry a knife you will be arrested and charged.

His words come as knife-crime came under the spotlight again in the national press following the murder of Harry Potter actor Robert Knox.

The Government has responded to the spate of stabbings in the capital with a hard-hitting anti-knife crime campaign displaying horrific injuries sustained from knife attacks.

The ad campaign cost £3m and was designed by teenagers to show the consequences of carrying a weapon.

One poster shows a man with a knife and a screwdriver in his chest, and deep wounds to the body.

And Met Police chief Sir Ian Blair called on parents to issue "tough-love time" on children and encourage conversations about knife crime.