Bristol Rovers staff get bleed kit training after city stabbings

"It's a sorry state of affairs that we're even having to do this sort of training," Adam Tutton said

Sports staff in a city have been trained how to use bleed kits.

The Bristol Rovers Community Trust said it was responding to recent stabbings by "giving staff the skills to save lives".

Bleed kits contain everything needed to give first aid to someone who is losing blood.

Adam Tutton, the trust's head, said: "With the increase in knife crime in Bristol, we felt it important that staff are trained to use bleed kits."

Mason Rist,15, and Max Dixon, 16, died after being stabbed in Knowle West on 27 January.

Their deaths followed other incidents in the city, including the death of Eddie Kinuthia,19, who was stabbed in St Pauls last year.

"It's a sorry state of affairs that we're even having to do this sort of training, but if we can empower our coaches with the ability to save a young person's life, then we will," Mr Tutton said.

Trust workers also learned about CPR and defibrillators during the workshop.

"I was shocked at the damage a knife can cause," said match day volunteer Helen Cox

Helen Cox, a match day volunteer who learned about bleed kits at the workshop said she was "shocked at the damage a knife can cause".

"You just see the skin, but internally, you just don't know. It's quite scary," she said.

Jimmy Lee, head of education at the trust, said the prevalence of knife crime was increasing.

"Working with students on a regular basis, it might be something that we need to be aware of," he said.