Family of Bodmin stab victim funds community bleed kit

The kit was funded by Helen Bartlett, whose 18-year-old son Lucas Underwood died after being stabbed

An emergency bleed control kit has been installed in Bodmin in memory of a local stab victim.

The kit was funded by Helen Bartlett, whose 18-year-old son Lucas Underwood died after being stabbed in the town in July 2023.

Similar to a community defibrillator, the bleed kit is locked in a cabinet and contains medical kit to help anyone suffering a catastrophic bleed.

Mr Underwood's sister, Natalie Bartlett said the box "could save a life".

Speaking at the unveiling event on Saturday, Natalie Bartlett described her brother as "fun, bubbly and very caring" and said she never wanted "anyone to go through what we went through."

She said: "Hopefully it would never get used but if it did get used it could save a life."

Carl Scott demonstrates how to use the bleed kit in Bodmin

The Bartlett family have worked with ex-gang member and Sussex-based anti-knife-crime campaigner Carl Scott to bring the life-saving equipment to Cornwall.

Mr Scott lost his best friend to a stabbing, and set up Project Youth to mentor young people away from gangs, knife crime and violence.

He said: "The more of these cabinets that are out in the country, they do give you a really good chance of survival if they're used.

"The tourniquets can stem the bleed from main artery bleeds, you can pack stomach wounds, chest wounds.

"They're not there for you to be an ambulance paramedic, they're there just to stem that until a paramedic does arrive.

"The whole of your body can bleed out in three minutes so if you can stem whatever bleed they've got until someone actually professional does arrive, we need to get these out."