Knife Angel's visit to Redcar leads to 140 knives surrendered

A selection of the knives surrendered to the British Ironworks knife bank during the visit

A Teesside mother and anti-knife campaigner says she hopes a lasting tribute to victims will be created from recently-surrendered knives.

Theresa Cave said she was both shocked and delighted 140 knives were handed in at the Knife Angel's visit to Redcar.

She set up a charity to educate young people against knife crime after her son Chris was stabbed to death in 2003.

She hopes the recently handed in weapons will be used to create a new life-size model of a grieving mother.

Theresa Cave and son Tom campaigned to bring the Knife Angel to Redcar

Ms Cave said: "It was a shock to count 140 knives of horrendous shapes and forms so to whoever has put knives in, I want to thank them, along with the courage of any young people who have come up and put a knife in, it's great because then potentially a life has been saved.

"We have been shocked but I'm happy these knives are off the streets.

"Our plan is to use the knives with others collected to make the first-ever permanent tribute to victims of murder and manslaughter, we are in talks to create the most beautiful fitting tribute for all our loved ones far and wide."

The plan is to create a life-sized mother standing by an armchair, which will be filled with items donated by families in memory of lost loved ones.

Details about the monument are still to be finalised and will be discussed later this month.

Thousands of people have visited the Knife Angel during its time in Redcar

Since the Knife Angel arrived at Kirkleatham Museum at the beginning of August, Ms Cave, along with volunteers from the Chris Cave Foundation, have been running workshops and events for young people at the site.

She believes she has managed to get her anti-knife and anti-violence message to "tens of thousands of people" who have visited.

She added: "I don't want the Knife Angel to leave as it's done so much of a good job here but it has to do work elsewhere."

The statue, which took two years to make, was created from 100,000 weapons which were confiscated or surrendered to police.

Produced by the British Ironwork Centre in 2017, it has travelled to 25 towns across the country since it was initially made to be shown in Trafalgar Square in London.

Founder Clive Knowles said: "We have another 40 towns and cities lined up after Redcar to host its journey, which we hope will act as a catalyst for turning the tide on violent and aggressive behaviour."