TWO brutal stabbings of teenagers in a week are just a taste of a bloody trend gripping the borough, new figures show.

In the most chilling incident last week, a witness claimed armed schoolchildren, still in uniform, attacked a 16-year-old with knives, a baseball bat and metal pole while up to 30 others goaded on the violence.

But perhaps most shocking are Lewisham police figures showing an average of two knife crimes a day in the borough since last April - a whopping 578 in 10 months.

Downham ward councillor Cllr Duwayne Brooks said: “First and foremost the borough has to accept it has a problem. At the moment it doesn’t.

“It won’t admit it has a problem with gangs and it won’t admit they have got a problem with schools.”

Cllr Brooks, part of Lewisham’s Community Police Consultative Group and close friend of murdered teen Stephen Lawrence, added: “Schools aren’t taking on board what’s happening.

“To tackle the problem children need to be stopped and searched in school.

“We need to intervene before it’s too late.”

On February 1, just hours after the Prince of Wales visited Hither Green’s Café of Good Hope to talk about youth crime, a 16-year-old boy was left with a head injury and two stab wounds to his leg.

Two 16-year-old boys arrested on suspicion of GBH were bailed pending further enquires.

In a separate incident, a 17-year-old was chased into Princethorpe Road, Sydenham, by around five youths who hit, kicked and stabbed him.

The vicious January 30 attack at 4.10pm shocked neighbours, who may soon lose their police station under cost-cutting plans.

The boy is recovering at home but no arrests have been made.

News Shopper: The scene of the attack Lewisham police said they were working with schools using knife arch searches and delivering presentations on the consequences of knife crime.

A spokeswoman said allegations can be reported as knife crimes even if the weapon is not seen - a victim only has to believe a knife is involved.

She added: “It’s easy to form the perception that all young people are carrying knives. Naturally this isn’t the case.

“It is just a minority who unfortunately take it upon themselves to arm themselves with any sharp implement but by doing so they pose a risk not only to the public but also to themselves.”

A spokeswoman for Lewisham Council said: "We work closely with the police, schools, families and other partners to support young people to make good choices. The vast majority of young people in Lewisham respond very well to this.

"As part of our strategy to reduce anti-social behaviour we offer restorative justice interventions and preventative work with children at risk of becoming offenders.

"Lewisham schools also do a great deal of work with their young people, not only about being good citizens but also about how to stay safe.”

Anyone with information on either incident should call Lewisham CID on 0208 2848 4372 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.