Hundreds of young people marched through Wood Green on Tuesday to protest against knife crime.

They piled into ten open-topped double-decker buses and drove through Haringey’s streets chanting “no more knives”, while passers-by waved in support.

More than 600 secondary school children paraded through the High Street, wielding banners, balloons and whistles, to spread a message of peace and plead for an end to violence.

It comes as the number of young people killed by violent crime in London reached 21 last week, and many demonstrators wore T-shirts in their memory.

It is the fifth year the rally has taken place to raise awareness of the on-going problem of inner-city knife crime. Since 2003, the Value Life initiative, set up by nine students and two members of staff from Gladesmore School, Totten- ham, has been committed to campaigning and educating Haringey’s young people about gun and knife crime.

Annaka Pinto, 17, was a sixth-former at the school when she was shot dead outside the Swan pub, in Philip Lane, Tottenham, in June last year. And Devoe Roach, 17, was stabbed to death on March 27 this year.

Teacher Lee Carryl, who helped set up the rally, said: “To date we have 21 young people whose lives have been lost to knife and gun crime, and that’s why these young people are saying we’ve had enough — it’s time to take a stand.”

Starting at Gladesmore School, in Crowland Road, young people gathered to add their signatures to a mural pledging to value life. It was also signed by Tottenham MP David Lammy, newly-instated borough commander David Grant, and Reverend Nims Obunge OBE, chief executive of Haringey Peace Alliance.

Mr Lammy said: “Here is a moment where young people from schools across the borough can celebrate and communicate that they are against violence on our streets.

“There is music, there is shouting but, ultimately, there is communication. These young people are taking a stand against gun and knife crime.”

Marvin Campbell, a learning mentor at Gladesmore, said: “People from different schools that may have problems with one another have come together to make a change in their community.

It’s a fantastic thing.”

But despite the positive attitude of the day, some felt that words alone could not fix the problem.

Jessica Rolle, 14, said: “It’s not as easy as just telling young people to put down knives. It’s just not going to happen. This problem is one that’s out of control.

“When teachers, parents and the police try and tell young people how it is, they just think, ‘Oh shut up’.

“You need people who know what they are talking about, who understand what our life is like, to act as mentors. I think that’s the only thing that can help. ”