Calls for huge Knife Angel statue to visit Manchester

Al this week, we have been striking up a conversation around knife crime.

Now, there are calls for something that would do just that to come to the city.

The Knife Angel is a huge sculpture, made up of 100,000 blades handed into police forces across the country.

It has already visited Liverpool, Hull and Coventry.

Now, though, we want to see it brought to Manchester.

Campaigner Natalie Bell worked to bring it to Hull last month.

She said:

"We had 50,000 people come down to see it - loads of school trips and school groups come down. When they went back to school they asked their teachers if they could stand up in assembly and tell their schools what impact knife crime has had.

"In just one month it had a huge impact and even though it was only here for that short amount of time, it's going to have a lasting legacy."

The Angel is currently in Coventry. At the unveiling of the statue there, we spoke to Alfie Bradley, the artist behind the angel.

He spent four years creating the iconic sculpture, and has asked families who have lost loved ones to knife crime to engrave a message on the wings:

"I would love it in Manchester, all of my family are from Stretford so Manchester would be a good place. Piccadilly Gardens would be fantastic.

"It's central, it's where the most people see it and you need to get the message out that any stabbing is one too many.

"All the knives were handed in by constabularies across the UK. They were either seized or handed in through an amnesty. It's a very personal thing and it really says what it is.

"I think it could be one of the best places to have it, here. The reason I built it was to create awareness of knife crime in the UK and the heartbreak it causes families and to tell people not to use them."

To join our campaign, get in touch with your local councillor.