SPECIAL REPORT: We hear the horrific impact of West Country knife crime
Families who have lost loved ones in a spate of violence across Avon and Somerset are sharing their stories, as part of Knife Crime Awareness Week
West Country families devastated by knife crime are coming together to tell us about the horrific impact it has had on their lives.
All this week we are shining a light on their stories as the latest figures show 13 people were killed by knives across Avon and Somerset in 2023. Since the start of 2024 a further four people have lost their lives in Bristol.
We're taking an in depth look at the issue as part of Knife Crime Awareness Week.
"It felt like the world was black"
Hayley Ryall, from Kingswood, lost her 16 year old son Mikey Roynon last June when he was stabbed in the neck at a house party in Bath.
The event was the first house party he had ever been to and was supposed to be a celebration of a girl's birthday, but tragedy struck when an argument broke out between two groups of boys.
During a trial at Bristol Crown Court, which led to the conviction of three other 16 year olds for killing Mikey, a jury heard as many as a dozen boys pulled out knives when tensions flared in the garden. Mikey died after being stabbed just once, severing a major artery.
Hayley was at a work party that same night, in Birmingham.
"I checked my phone...and I had loads of missed calls on my phone, from Mikey's phone, some from Scott (Hayley's partner), some from Mikey's friends, so obviously I panicked and went outside because it was loud," she said.
"As I went outside his friend called me off of his phone and told me what had happened. I didn't believe him. I just put the phone down because I didn't believe him."
Hayley was told not only that Mikey had been stabbed, but that he had already died.
"I can remember falling on the floor," she said.
"I was sick outside... I just felt hopeless because I was in Birmingham (and) I'd had about three glasses of wine so I knew I couldn't drive back."
Eventually making it to Bath in a taxi, Mikey's death was confirmed by the police.
"I don't think I went to bed for days and days," she said.
"It felt like the world was black. I didn't go out the house for about five weeks, at all. I didn't want to see the outside."
Since Mikey's death five other people have lost their lives to knife crime, in Bristol, while there have been many other stabbings across Avon and Somerset which, thankfully, people have survived.
Leanne Ekland lost her 16-year-old son Max Dixon in January when he was attacked outside his own home in Knowle West, in an incident which also killed 15-year-old Mason Rist.
"Max and Mason were childhood friends with their whole lives ahead of them, which was cruelly taken away from them," she said.
"Nothing will ease our families suffering. May both boys rest in peace."
Other incidents include the killing of 19-year-old Eddie Kinuthia in St Pauls last July and the fatal stabbing of 16-year-old Darrian Williams in Easton in February.
What is being done?
In response to these incidents Avon and Somerset Police have begun a new operation targeting knife crime, which, following the death of Darrian Williams, saw them employ enhanced Stop and Search powers in areas considered hotspots.
The wider operation is tasked with identifying those most at risk of carrying knives and becoming involved in serious violence to prevent incidents before they happen, but the police say knife crime is not something they can solve on their own and many people in the community are also trying to help.
"My first arrest was at age nine"
By his own admission Bristol's Tyrell Jarrett grew up surrounded by crime.
His first experiences of the criminal justice system came from visiting his dad in prison and he was first arrested himself at just nine years old, when he was taken on a burglary.
Now aged 38 and out of that life, Tyrell dedicates himself to helping others out of crime, mentoring people both in prison and at risk of being sent there, through his group BX Cellence.
"Lived experience plays a huge part (in helping others)," he said.
"As a young teen you aspire to have the things other people have, without the resources, so you recognise what a resource looks like.
"Whether that's people, whether that's drugs, whether that's using your physicality...robberies, robberies with weapons, all sorts of things to tell you the truth. Everything financially motivated, which rightfully or wrongfully made sense at the time.
"I'm seeing a difference now (which) is, in terms of the violence we see now, it's not as financially motivated...which raises a lot of concerns for me in terms of, what's the trigger for people nowadays...?
"You've got people who I wouldn't consider needing to be involved in some of these things."
Tyrell spoke to us at Biig Academy in St Pauls, a kind of youth centre currently being set up by another group, Growing Futures, to help get young people off the streets.
It features a hairdressing room for people to learn the skill, a pool table, PS5, kitchen, gym and two music studios, plus learning areas including an IT suite.
He says young people feeling undervalued can often lead to them taking the wrong path.
"Most of the young people I meet...enjoyed school, done well, good communicators...but quickly became disenfranchised with how they felt misplaced," he said.
"No one wanted anything to do with St Pauls (when he was growing up). Now you've got (a) coffee shop on every corner. It's value placement. If I don't feel a level of self worth in myself, in the area, why should I feel for someone else's self worth? Why should I feel for someone else's safety?"
Elsewhere, Martin Bisp runs the boxing gym Empire Fighting Chance which helps get young people off the streets.
He told Greatest Hits Radio the UK should learn from Colombia and how the country acted to reduce crime after the death of drug lord Pablo Escobar.
"What they did is they took all the investment into communities," he said.
"They built the nicest buildings in the poorest communities. They built libraries, they built education centres, they built early learning centres, they built sports facilities.
"So what they tried to do is put back into the community and empower people and show them that they were worth something, that they could achieve something."
Living in a knife crime "hotspot": The reality
For those unwittingly caught on the front line of the issue, the experience can be terrifying.
In March we brought you the story of Ben (not his real name) who lives in the West Country and regularly witnesses knife crime in his area.
"Round here, a lot of people carry these days a weapon on them," he said.
"It's really alarming, especially for the young generation coming up because when they leave the house and go and play in the park, all they'll find is drugs or a drug dealer down there."
Ben asked that we conceal his identity, as he fears for his safety. He has witnessed stabbings before.
"One day I'm walking past the pharmacy and I'm coming to the kebab shop (and) there's a man like this," he said.
"Just before the chemist I see he came out from a side road running and there's two men, boys or men, running after him.
"They got him just after the kebab shop...
"I carried on, I reached the lights and when I reached the lights I heard shouting and people getting together...
"I realised that when they ran after him, they stabbed him..."
Luis is a young person who has admitted carrying a weapon in the past.
He said: "I just wanted to fit in with the crowd to be fair. I just wanted to be like everyone else and get all the respect.
"I got arrested for having a blade on me and that there, everything switched round from there. I regretted it."
Hayley, Mikey's mum, said she had not realised how widespread carrying a weapon is amongst young men.
Ben, who has young children, says he no longer sleeps at night, fearing for their safety.
"I've done it (not slept), for maybe, every night for maybe three to four months," he said.
"Every night, I still don't go (to) sleep (at) night time.
"I sleep in the morning, I take the kids to school (and) I come back (and) sleep."
The law: Is a change needed?
When knife crime incidents increase, as has happened lately in Avon and Somerset, there are often calls for the police to use Stop and Search powers more.
However Mike Vass, who is Avon and Somerset Police's knife crime lead, believes the current laws around Stop and Search need updating.
"Existing Stop and Search powers were brought in many, many years ago, for purposes such as preventing and tackling inquisitive crime, or public order when there was going to be potential for damage to property or injury to people, but they're old pieces of legislation that are very, very effective for the sort of crime that they were designed to tackle," he said.
"None of them were designed to react to an emerging problem with serious violence or knife crime and then how the community want us to behave as a police agency in their area.
"What would be great to see would be new legislation and new powers that are new and bespoke as a reaction to that..."
He would like to see new laws on community driven action.
"It's difficult with the current legislation that we've got...as to then how we effectively use some traditional type policing powers such as searching people, without causing longer term damage to trust and confidence."
Can knife crime be halved?
With a general election expected before the end of the year, the major political parties are beginning to make pledges on how they would tackle the issue, in order to win your votes. Labour are pledging to halve knife crime over the next decade if they win power.
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper recently visited Bristol to meet those dealing with the issue including Martin Bisp, to ask how they would go about achieving that.
The message was action needs to come both from and within the community.
"We know that that is not easy, we know that that is going to involve a huge amount of work and there aren't quick fixes, but it's so important that we have to do this," she told Greatest Hits Radio afterwards.
"That needs strong action, stronger laws, it needs stronger prevention work in local communities, more youth hubs and youth work as well.
"We have to have that comprehensive plan in order to save lives in future."
The Shadow Home Secretary paid tribute to those trying to help and the families who have been impacted.
Mikey's mum Hayley said to those who carry a knife: "Please stop because it's only getting worse and worse and worse.
"To be losing your friends, your family, the people you love, it doesn't just effect the person's life who gets killed, it effects everybody's life around them. I've had a year of hell."
The current government says it is increasing punishments for people caught carrying weapons.
How can I help?
If you would like to do your bit, you can give money towards life saving bleed control kits via our charity Cash for Kids via this link.