Lewisham officers conducting a stop-and-search found a 14-year-old boy hiding a machete.

Police were conducting the search in Lewisham High Street yesterday (April 18) when they stopped the teenager.

When they searched the boy, who originally claimed he was only 13, officers found the 25cm machete in the waistband of his trousers.

Lewisham MPS tweeted a picture of their find, said: “This stop and search has potentially saved a life.

“Sadly this is all too common.”

London has been experiencing an epidemic in violent crime, with the murder rate in London in 2018 up to 59, many of whom were killed by stab wounds.