Manchester's 'knife bee' touring region with anti-violence message

West Mercia Police said the bee would be in the region until 20 November

A giant bee, made from knives and guns, is being taken on a tour of Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

It was made by the British Ironworks Centre near Oswestry to symbolise Manchester's "intolerance of violence".

West Mercia Police said it would be used as part of a campaign and would be displayed in 17 locations around the region.

It will visit schools, community hubs and town centres to raise awareness of the dangers of carrying weapons.

The British Ironworks Centre was previously responsible for the creation of the Knife Angel, a sculpture made from surrendered blades which was taken on a tour of the UK.

It worked with Greater Manchester Police to create the bee, as a follow-up to the angel, and came up with the original idea in 2020.

The bee was made out of knives and guns which had either been seized or handed over in the Manchester area, and West Mercia Police said it was the first of its kind to be made of both knives and firearms.

Unlike the Knife Angel, the bee also incorporates surrendered or seized firearms

Over the course of its tour, which started on 6 November, it is appearing in Shrewsbury, Leominster, Hereford, Worcester, Pershore, Malvern, Evesham, Droitwich, Stourport-on-Severn, Kidderminster, Rubery, Bromsgrove, Redditch and Telford.

The British Ironworks Centre worked with Greater Manchester Police to create the sculpture

West Mercia's Assistant Chief Constable, Richard Cooper, said there had been an increase in knife-related crime since the end of the coronavirus pandemic, but it amounted to a little more than one knife-related crime a day.

He said he wanted to use the bee to "start conversations" with young people about the dangers of carrying a knife.

Public appearances from Saturday:

• 12 November, The Hive, Worcester, 09:30-12:30

• 12 November, Abbey Park, Pershore, 13:30-16:30

• 13 November, Priory Park, Malvern, 09:30-12:30

• 13 November, The Hive, Worcester, 13:30-16:30

• 14 November, Abbey Park, Evesham, 09:30-12:30

• 14 November, Victoria Square, Droitwich, 13:30-16:30

• 15 November, Riverside Meadows, Stourport-on-Severn 09:00-11:00

• 15 November, Weavers Wharf Shopping Centre, Kidderminster, 11:30-13:30

• 15 November, St Chads Park, Rubery, 14:30-16:30

• 16 November, BirdBox, Bromsgrove, 09:00-11:00

• 16 November, Redditch Town Centre, 11:30-13:30

• 16 November, Woodrow Centre, Redditch, 14:00-16:00

• 18 November, Brookside Community Centre, Telford 13:00-16:00

• 18 November, Hub on the Hill, Sutton Hill, Telford 17:00 onward

• 19 November, Southwater Square, Telford, 10:00-15:00