More needs to be done to cut Bedford's "shocking" knife crime rate claims a parliamentary candidate.

The knife crime rate in Bedfordshire is worse than the national average according to the British crime survey and police recorded crime statistics, which show 22 per cent of all serious crime in the county involves a knife, while nationally, only 19 per cent of serious crime involves a knife.

The report also shows Bedfordshire has the worst crime detection rate in England and Wales.

Henry Vann, Liberal Democrat parliamentary campaigner for Bedford and Kempston, said: "I am shocked at these figures.

"It's too easy to associate knife crime with inner cities, but it's right here on our doorstep in Bedford.

"People in Bedford face a higher chance of a knife attack. More needs to be done in Bedford to cut the rate of knife crime.

"Bedfordshire Police need more Government funding to put more police officers on the streets."

Mr Vann is also calling for more action to be taken against people who sell knives to minors.

He said: "We need to come down heavily on those who sell knives to our children, not let them get off with a get out of jail free card.

"This government is obsessed with putting young people in prison whilst letting the suppliers of weapons get away with it."

The Bedford and Kempston Liberal Democrats research shows that no-one in Bedfordshire, or England as a whole, has been put in jail for selling a knife to someone under the age of 18 since 2003.

In the UK only 71 people have been successfully prosecuted for selling knives to the children in the last five years.

Of those prosecuted none were sent to prison and of the 56 that were fined, 11 were only ordered to pay between £50 and £100, something which the Liberal Democrats say is unacceptable.

Mr Vann added: "The only party with policies that will reduce knife crime is the Liberal Democrats, we will put 10,000 more police on our streets by getting rid of an ineffective and expensive ID card scheme.

"But we will also improve policing by allowing the police to form closer ties with their communities and build the trust that is vital for effective crime fighting."

The number of recorded crimes in Bedfordshire in total fell by ten per cent in the period 2007/08 compared with the period 2006/2007.