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A 17-year-old wanted over an assault where a victim was repeatedly stabbed in the torso was among arrests made under a police knife crime crackdown.

A total of 36 people were arrested by West Midlands Police in a day of action under

The project started last month when the force was given £7m to tackle youth violence after declaring knife crime a "national emergency".

It said tackling youth violence was a "priority".

On Wednesday, 36 people were arrested with three others to be interviewed at a later date.

Those held also included a 26-year-old man wanted after someone was injured with a machete and an 18-year-old man suspected of threatening to stab someone in a robbery.

Supt Phil Dolby said the action targeted those wanted for violence and weapons crimes, with a focus on those where the victim or offender are under the age of 25.

Launching the project last month, the force said it wanted to use the funding on Birmingham's night-time economy and mediation services for young people, and plans included recruiting 75 new police staff investigators for a year, spending £1.5m on diversion, mediation, support and mentoring projects, 15 police cars plus new metal detecting "knife wands".

Neighbouring Staffordshire Police also launched a crackdown on drug dealing and violent crime on Wednesday.

Operation Disrupt will "target those people who cause the most harm", it said.

Supt Martin Brereton said: "This initiative aims to show the people who live and work in Staffordshire what we are doing proactively to tackle the offences that cause the most concern."

The force said it had made seven arrests in Tamworth.

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