Parents told 'search for weapons'

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Parents are being urged to search their children's rooms for guns and knives to help put a stop to gang warfare.

Michelle Forbes, Mothers Against Guns campaigner, said: "People must start shopping their children to the police."

This comes days after two schools were closed amid fears of gang violence, and shootings at London nightclubs which left one man dead and two injured.

At the launch of an anti-gun campaign on Monday police said some gang members were as young as 11.

The Metropolitan Operation Trident initiative is designed to prevent 11-to-16-year-olds turning to gun crime.

They have to prove their commitment and loyalty to the gang by shooting someone Michelle Forbes, Mothers Against Guns

Assistant Commissioner Steve House, the head of the Metropolitan Police's specialist crime directorate, said: "Though the numbers are small we are seeing some people as young as 11-16 turning to violence, turning to membership of gangs."

He said the campaign was designed to "challenge the myth that gunmen deserve respect by showing the true consequences of carrying a gun".

More than 2,000 pupils from Peckham Academy, Peckham, and Harris Girls' Academy in East Dulwich were sent home early on Friday on the advice of police who had received "specific" information.

Fear and intimidation

At the weekend Daniel Ross was shot dead in The Scala nightclub, King's Cross, and two men survived a shooting outside the Fridge club in Brixton early on Monday.

Ms Forbes, whose 23-year-old son Leon was shot dead three years ago, said parents needed to take action to prevent more deaths.

She said: "Each gang has a set of initiation, they have to prove their commitment and loyalty to the gang by shooting someone.

"They use fear and intimidation... they're not even wearing anything over their heads because they are so confident nobody is going to report them.

"If my child was involved in gang warfare I would report him because I would rather be visiting him in prison than in a cemetery."