A CHARITY hopes the popularity of texting will provide it with an opportunity to clamp down on knife culture.

Crimestoppers has launched a free text service so children can anonymously say who is carrying knives in their schools.

The charity is visiting schools in all London boroughs to publicise the service, which guarantees texter anonymity by passing their message through specialist software.

Workshops and talks will also be held in Greenwich and Lewisham.

Crimestoppers chief executive Michael Laurie said: “21 young people have already needlessly lost their lives to knife crime in London this year alone.

“Communities must do their bit to stop this trend so I am appealing to young people out there to text Crimestoppers with vital information about school children carrying knives that could help save lives in the future.”

The text number is only being given out to schoolchildren.

For more information, visit crimestoppers-uk.org