Shropshire Star

Shropshire's Knife Angel to go to Birmingham

Birmingham will be the next town to host Shropshire's knife angel.

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The knife angel at Coventry Cathedral

The sculpture is currently in Coventry, outside the city's cathedral where it will be a central part of the Easter services.

Now it has been revealed that next month the anti-knife crime statue, created at the British Ironwork Centre near Oswestry, will be transported across the Midlands to Birmingham.

It will stand in Victoria Square in the town centre.

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson has been involved in organising the visit to the city.

Mr Jamieson, met with Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, earlier this month after saying that Britain was facing a national emergency in knife crime escalation.

Last year he travelled to Oswestry to see the sculpture for himself and talk to British Ironwork Centre chairman, Clive Knowles, about his Save a Life, Surrender your Knife campaign.

The statue will be put up in Victoria Square on May 7.

Delighted

Mr Knowles said: "We are delighted that the knife angel will take centre stage in the UK's second largest city.

"We are now having enquires from cities right across the UK who want to get involved and host the knife angel."

It was created in Shropshire by artist Alfie Bradley from tens of thousands of knives confiscated by or surrendered to police authorities across the country.

The National Express bus company is supporting the tour of the sculpture.

Nikki Houghton from the company, which supported its installation at Coventry Cathedral, said: "Worryingly, there's been over 250 stabbings in Birminham between January and March this year, so bringing the Knife Angel to the city makes absolute sense."