These are the shocking images showing the rise of the glamour of knife crime as teenagers pose with knives, swords, imitation firearms and even a meat cleaver on the Internet.

The youths aim to impress their friends and intimidate children from rival postcodes by posting the pictures on social networking site bebo.com.

They come after pictures were discovered of a Rose Hill three-year-old with an 8in kitchen knife posted on the Internet by his sister as a 'prank'.

Other children from across the county have added pictures of themselves taking drugs to their personal profiles on the website.

Last night, Oxfordshire’s police commander vowed to launch an investigation into the images — which can be accessed without any password or parental safeguard.

Ch Supt Brendan O’Dowda said: "I was absolutely horrified by the images. The first thing I thought was: ‘do mum and dad have any idea that their youngsters are doing this?"

"I would bet in 99 per cent of occasions they wouldn’t have a clue."

In less than two hours, the Oxford Mail was able to find the pictures above, plus numerous other profiles featuring threats against the police, rival gangs and images of underage drinking posted by Oxfordshire teenagers.

In one image, a 16-year-old called Wardy, from the OX4 area of Oxford, poses with a 10-inch curved blade.

Another profile called Wood Farm Youngaz Merkin ltK features pictures of hooded children armed with swords and what look like air rifles. Other images of children holding weapons come from profiles of teenagers who live in Blackbird Leys, Rose Hill, Wantage and Berinsfield.

Mr O’Dowda called on parents to take be more proactive in monitoring their children’s Internet use.

He added: "Those people that are brandishing these weapons on Bebo are committing an offence.

"They are committing carrying an offensive weapon and potential public order offences.

"We will be investigating and trying to identify these youngsters."

The father of a 14-year-old from Headington, who boasted on the site he was happiest when ‘blazin it upp’ – a reference to smoking cannibis — said: "I will be having words with him. I didn’t have a clue."

Sonia McCarthy, whose son Samuel has been in a coma since he was stabbed in the head in Blackbird Leys two years ago, said: "It just disgusts me. Do their parents know what is going on?

"I don’t know if there is a solution — I would like to see some sort of boot camp. I think it’s sick. When I was young I was not thinking about guns and knives. I was out playing with my friends."

A Bebo spokesman said it had strict terms of use on its site and any pictures, video or words which broke them would be suspended and investigated.

She added: "Bebo has close working relationships with crime-prevention organisations and is actively involved in a number of policy groups which address various aspects of online activities."