Boris Johnson has even caught up with celebrities to discuss ways of combating knife crime and getting the anti knife-carrying message across to the capital's youth.

In a bid to get high profile figures to help deglamorise knife crime, the capital's leader listened to some of singer Lilly Allen's ideas about combating the attacks which have claimed 20 young lives since the beginning of the year.

Giving evidence to the Commons home affairs committee earlier this week, Johnson said respected figures should be recruited to warn youngsters about the dangers of carrying knives.

Talking to the Mayor at City Hall this week, Ms Allen had a number of suggestions on how to challenge the notion that carrying a knife is "streetwise or cool."

The singer also had proposals to encourage teenagers to be more ambitious about themselves and their communities.

Mr Johnson said: "There is nothing romantic or glamorous about knife crime and I'm delighted Lily will be using her considerable profile and fan base to spread that message."

In the last week there have been a series of horrific stabbing deaths, with four people killed within 24 hours in the capital alone.

It comes as figures from the British Crime Survey are released today, painting a detailed picture of the true extent of knife crime in the country.

The annual crime figures will contain a new set of data on knife attacks in every force in England and Wales.