TWO Stourport teens have appeared in court charged with selling machetes, swords and flick knives on social media.

The 16-year-old boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were arrested after warrants were carried out at two separate addresses in Stourport on Thursday (October 3).

They were carried out as part of a joint operation by West Mercia and Merseyside Police officers.

Money and several weapons were seized including extendable batons, machetes, swords, flick knives and a knuckle duster.

West Mercia Police said: "One of the males was charged with publish material suggesting that a knife was suitable for combat, offer for sale / hire an offensive weapon, possess an offensive weapon in private place and manufacture/sell/ hire or offer/expose/possess for the purpose of sale/ hire a flick/gravity knife.

"Another was charged with publish material suggesting that a knife was suitable for combat, offer for sale/hire an offensive weapon, five counts of possess an offensive weapon in private place and manufacture/sell/hire or offer/expose/possess for the purpose of sale/hire a flick/gravity knife".

Appearing at Kidderminster Magistrates Court on Friday, October 4, they were both bailed with conditions not to contact each other.

They are now due to appear at Kidderminster Magistrates Court again on October 23.

The warrant was part of a County Lines operation to tackle the online sale of knives and weapons across the country.

Detective Sergeant Kieran Connolly from Project Medusa at Merseyside Police said: “We are resolute in removing weapons from the streets, and are targeting vendors selling such weapons on social media to prevent them getting into the wrong hands and causing fear and harm on in communities.

“We continue to seek out those involved in knife crime, whether selling knives, carrying them or using them".