'To have people talking about knife crime is wonderful'

A huge structure made from 100,000 knives has arrived in Plymouth in a bid to prevent knife-related crime.

The Knife Angel, which stands 27ft (8m) tall is created from blades surrendered and seized by police, and was installed between the Civic Centre and Guildhall buildings on Tuesday.

The family of Michael Riddiough-Allen, 32, who was fatally stabbed outside Eclipse Nightclub in Bodmin on 30 April 2023, said the conversation-striking knife structure was "wonderful" to see.

His sister, Becky Dustan, said: "To see it in our region is incredible and the power it has to open those conversations and to have people talking about knife crime is wonderful."

"I am so pleased to see it here. We looked at this just after we lost Mike. We could see how amazing it was then."

His father, Kevin Allen, said he was "very unaware of knife crime" before his son was fatally stabbed.

According to the latest Devon and Cornwall Police data, there were more than 3,000 incidents of knife-related crime in the 12 months to January.

Plymouth City Council said the structure would serve as a "powerful reminder of the impact violence can have".

Cabinet member for community safety, councilor Sally Haydon, said: "This is about educating. This is about prevention."

"The city doesn't have a knife crime problem but what we want to do is prevention work," she added.

Plymouth's chief superintendent, Matt Longman, said the structure aimed to "start conversations" around the issues of knife crime.

The city council said knife carrying was "rare locally", and added estimates suggest about one in 2,000 people carry a knife in Devon and Cornwall.

It said: "Many knife-related harms in Plymouth are linked to wider issues such as domestic abuse, alcohol related incidents, criminal exploitation, and moments of mental health or self harm crisis."

Haydon said the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) was funding the structure's visit, adding the city was "very lucky" to be hosting the knife angel.

The authority said it was designed by artist Alfie Bradley and manufactured at the British Ironworks Centre.

"Many blades are engraved with messages from families affected by knife violence, making it a deeply personal memorial," it said.

The Knife Angel will be in place until 30 March.

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