TOWNS on the outskirts of Trowbridge are watching what has been described as a culture of youths with knives with concern. After Sunday’s knife attack in Trowbridge, Westbury councillors questioned Wiltshire Police on criminal activity within their town, with drugs and knives top of their list.

Cllr Ward Jones asked: “There has been knife crime in Trowbridge, is there an anxiety it might spread to Westbury?”

PC Helen Daveridge said: “There seems to be culture youths with knives. What I have been trying to do is work with with parents and schools who have concerns that a youth is carrying a knife for protection or any other reason. If you see someone carrying a knife, I urge you to call it in on 101 with as much detail as possible. I can’t work with agencies unless we have a person to work with.

“Across the whole county we do approach those children or adults we know are carrying knives and with that intelligence we have a legal right to search them. Unfortunately we seem to be hearing about things too late.”

Cllr Ian Cunningham said: “Is there much of an issue with drugs in the town, I’ve spoken to neighbours who say yes there’s definitely a group of people doing it and you can smell it. There’s a small amount of teenagers that say that is what’s going on.”

PC Daveridge said: “It depends what you call a problem. As most towns, there is everything from casual users to addicts. There is an area off Main Street that has a dead end road towards the tracks, where people go.

“PCSO Matt Standing recently stopped and warned a person for their drugs use which was cannabis near there. There is drugs in every town. What I need is people to give me intelligence about it. If you walk past someone at a set time, or you’ve seen a registration or seen car, call it in to 101. Without specifics like that, just like any business, I cannot target the right areas at the right times.”