THESE frightening weapons were found being carried by two youths in Newport, police revealed.

And now officers are sending out a no tolerance message after the teenagers were found with the 21-inch-blade machetes.

Police are also vowing to clamp down on teenagers throwing objects at passing vehicles after a heavy metal bar was hurled at a lorry by a 13-year-old girl in Alway.

The shock find of the machetes was made by Alway officers on Ringland Way after they searched two boys, aged 15 and 16.

The weapons, with blades four inches wide at the widest point, were hidden in the trouser leg and arm sleeve of the youngsters from the Alway area.

Inspector Mark Wheatstone from Alway police said: "We are anxious to nip this sort of behaviour in the bud.

"Carrying weapons like this on the streets of Newport is not going to be tolerated. There is no excuse for it.

"It is unusual to find weapons of this size but we will continue with our high-profile policing to make sure the streets are safer."

He said that the youths gave no explanation for carrying the weapons when they were stopped and searched by a police anti-social behaviour patrol at 5.55pm on Wednesday.

Insp Wheatstone said that the day before a local girl was seen hurling a large metal bar at a passing lorry on Spytty Road.

Two passers-by stopped the girl until the police arrived. She was held at Newport Central police station for several hours while Social Services were contacted.

She was later cautioned.

Insp Wheatstone said: "Had it been a car passing it's quite possible the bar would have been the same height as the windscreen and there could have been horrendous repercussions.

"We will not tolerate this behaviour and will deal with people irrespective of their age."

Ringland Community Association chairman Ken Carey said: "If teenagers are being found with machetes it is a great cause for concern.

"If they were not stopped by police who knows what would have happened?

"Lads like these are extremely bored and just wonder around aimlessly.

"We have a youth worker who works hard trying to encourage the youngsters but sometimes they just don't want to be helped."

But he stressed that there was no more of a problem with youths in Ringland that on other estates across Newport, Wales, and the UK.