SCHOOLS across Oxfordshire are being offered airport-style metal detectors to screen pupils for blades after an increase in knife crime.

Thames Valley Police has used knife arches at schools across the region - especially Reading and Milton Keynes - but so far no school in Oxford has been willing to take part.

Latest figures show knife crime in Oxfordshire has risen from 270 to 286 incidents in two years.

Insp John Fox, who is running Operation Blunt, an initiative to counter knife crime across the region, said he wanted to introduce arches at schools across the county to test children who might be carrying knives or sharp objects.

He said: "We have done an awful lot in schools with presentations and in groups to get across the message that it is not cool to carry a knife.

"A lot of youngsters think it is fashionable to carry a knife, but a knife can be turned on you.

"There are knife incidents, but compared to other places Oxfordshire does not appear to have a knife culture.

"That said, incidents are growing. And it is something we continually need to look at to get this message across.

"The fact it has gone up is obviously something we need to concentrate on.

"Many schools in Berkshire, Reading and Milton Keynes have taken part, but I am not aware of any in Oxfordshire.

"I certainly hope schools in Oxfordshire are looking at this.

"If any are interested we would like them to get involved and we would be happy to bring a knife arch to their school."

Police have been taking part in the New Destiny Trust, which raises awareness of knife crime through education sessions in schools.

It was set up after 11-year-old Damilola Taylor was stabbed to death in Peckham, south London, in 2000.

Figures released this week showed knife crime in Oxfordshire had increased from 270 incidents in 2004/05 to 286 in 2006/07.

Elsewhere across Thames Valley Police region the increase was much higher.

In Milton Keynes, knife crime soared from 76 to 180 and in Berkshire West, which includes Reading, incidents rose from 136 to 260.

Overall in Thames Valley, knife crime went up from 883 to 1,132 incidents.

Police have been using the knife arches outside pubs across the county including Oxford and Witney.

They are also sending more officers into schools to speak to pupils about the perils of carrying knives.

County councillor and former headteacher Michael Waine, cabinet member for schools improvement, said: "I would wish for the county council to do everything possible in terms of knife crime.

"But the schools are self-governing and decisions will be made by individual schools.

"Obviously there would be communities in Oxfordshire where it would be more appropriate and others where it would not.

"We would encourage schools to be active if they were aware of problems with knives."