Knife-bank bid to take weapons off streets

Greater Manchester Police has joined a national campaign to tackle knife crime.

The British Ironwork Centre’s campaign was launched in Birmingham on Friday under the slogan “Save a Life, Surrender Your Knife”.

The scheme is expected to spread across major cities as youngsters are encouraged to stop carrying knives and to give them up in return for a hoodie bearing the campaign slogan. GMP has committed to launching a knife bank in Greater Manchester later this year.

Surrendered knives will be used to create a spectacular angel statue in memory of those whose lives have been lost in knife-related crime.