The government was warned that immediate action is needed before the scourge of gang culture — a blight in many towns and cities across the UK — takes a hold in the province.

Latest police statistics show that in the last financial year a total of 1,062 crimes were recorded where a knife was involved — amounting to an average of over 20 per week. A total of 777 of these crimes were violent attacks including offences against the person, sexual offences and robberies — an average of almost 15 per week.

Knives were involved in three murders, three sexual offences, 45 attempted murders, 423 assaults, 206 robberies and 21 burglaries as well as a number of other crimes including theft, criminal damage, fraud and forgery. The information does not specify how the knives were used in each incident.

Although the statistics show that from 2001/02 there has not been a major rise in the overall number of knife related crimes in the province, there has been an increase in the number of wounding and assaults where blades have been involved. Police said, however, the increase could partly be attributed to a new crime recording system introduced last year which may lead to "some inflation of offence levels".

Anti-knife crime campaigner Ken Robinson MLA said today he believes that knife crime is not just an issue for policing and justice, but is also a social and educational problem and should therefore also be tackled on a cross-departmental basis within the Northern Ireland Executive.

Executive Minister Margaret Ritchie today told the Telegraph that knife crime is a major "community safety , educational and policing and justice issue". She added: "Quite clearly action has to be taken."

The Social Development Minister said that through the Neighbourhood Renewal Process, which tackles deprivation and disadvantage in communities across the province, her department will be "seeking to increase the opportunities of people who live in these areas to help minimise anti-social behaviour and all that goes with that".

When asked if Education Minister Catriona Ruane is planning any initiatives to help tackle the problem a department spokeswoman said the revised NI curriculum includes provision for young people to "develop strategies to promote their personal safety, to develop positive relationships and respect for others and to explore ways of managing and resolving conflict."

High profile knife murders like the killing of schoolboy Thomas Devlin in Belfast and guesthouse owner Billy Spence in Bangor, have raised the public's fear of knife crime.

The PSNI has launched a number of initiatives to tackle the problem, including two knife amnesties, stop and search on the streets, using metal detectors and educational programmes.

Officers also plan to relaunch an advertising campaign later this month to deter young people from carrying a blade.

New legislation has also been introduced to crack down on knife crime, which includes doubling prison sentences for anyone caught in possession of a knife, raising the legal age to purchase a knife to 18 and increasing sentences for anyone caught selling a blade to underage youths.

Mr Robinson warned, however, that much more needs to be done to stamp out the problem before it gets out of control like in London where 18 teenagers have died violent deaths so far this year.

"We want to avoid at all costs the gang culture that has taken hold in other parts of Britain. We still have time here in Northern Ireland to stop this before it gets out of hand. We can see the warnings from across the water. We need to heed those warnings.

"What is happening in London is frightening," he said.