14-year-old arrested after police seize THIS LARGE MACHETE from Bedford town centre

Police have called on parents to keep a close eye on their children after a 14-year-old was arrested for carrying this large machete.

Officers had been chasing drug dealers in Bedford Park on Saturday (June 24) and saw several young people involved in a suspected drug deal hiding something in a bush in the town centre.

They discovered this large machete and started searching for the group.

Through help from CCTV, officers saw one young male return to the bush hoping to retrieve it before realising it was now gone.

But when police then arrested the suspect for being in possession of an offensive weapon they were horrified to discover he was only 14.

In a post on social media, a member of Bedford Community Policing Team said: “But how did a 14-year-old come to be in this position? The police simply cannot answer that question alone nor provide the solution alone.

“The answer is complex but I’m convinced parents and guardians have a major role to play. So please ask yourself tonight, where is my child? Who are they with? What are they doing? As a father too I will be doing the same.

"Parents/guardians are our greatest partner and we want to work closely with you to ensure our children are not exploited anymore. We cannot let these thugs win. I hope this child gets all the support he needs and his life changes direction.

“Please contact Bedford Borough Council Children’s Social Care or police if you have concerns about your child and suspect they are involved with criminality.”