You can report anonymously if you think someone is carrying a knife.

Less than a fifth of people in the North East (18%) are confident that young people in their area would tell police if they knew someone was carrying a knife, according to national research commissioned by charity Crimestoppers.

The survey also found 43% of people here are confident young people locally would share that information with an anonymous service, highlighting the importance of anonymity.

Fear of retaliation is a significant barrier to reporting, with 49% in the North East citing it as a reason to possibly not report information.

The regional findings come as Crimestoppers launches a new campaign through its youth service, Fearless.org, after the research also revealed a significant reporting gap among young people across the UK.

Just 31% of UK 16 to 25-year-olds say they would be very likely to report information about knife crime directly to the police, compared with 45% of adults. But the findings challenge the perception that young people are unwilling to help tackle knife crime.

The campaign features the story of Charlie Cosser, who was murdered in West Sussex in 2023. He was stabbed while trying to protect a friend.

Martin Cosser, Charlie’s father and co-founder of knife crime charity Charlie’s Promise, said: "No family should have to experience the heartbreak ours has endured. We know fear can stop people speaking up, but one piece of information can make all the difference.

“I hope this campaign helps young people understand they can share what they know anonymously and potentially save someone’s life."

Anyone with information about knife crime or other serious crimes can anonymously visit fearless.org.