Quarter of a million view Shropshire Knife Angel at Liverpool Cathedral
More than 250,000 people have viewed Shropshire's Knife Angel since it was installed outside Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral back in November.
The 27ft structure, built by sculptor Alfie Bradley at the British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry, was transported to the city to raise awareness of the knife crime problem in Liverpool.
It was due to stay there for a month but that was extended until January 31, and a Farewell Knife Angel vigil was takinge place in the cathedral at 4.30pm on Saturday, to honour the lives of victims and families affected by knife crime.
The angel will then continue on to its next destination of Hull, with an agreement in place for it to visit Coventry at Easter.
Centre chairman Clive Knowles said: "The vigil will take place in Liverpool Cathedral where each victim’s life will be honoured and remembered amongst family, friends and the supporting community.
"Any family members and parents are who want to join us are more than welcome to come along to the event."
"During its time in Liverpool the Knife Angel has been viewed by over a quarter million people, with many of these viewers from Liverpool and its surrounding Wirral and Merseyside areas making the trip over to Shropshire to visit us.
"This dramatic spike in visitors has been truly beneficial to us in the sense that we are able to further educate people about the importance of knife crime awareness whilst showcasing everything else that we do here.
"To see the Angel making such an impact in such a big city is truly humbling and we will forever be grateful to everyone involved in getting the sculpture to Liverpool."
A campaign was launched last year to take the angel to Hull, and it will be taken from Liverpool to Humberside next week and placed in the city's Queen's Gardens for a month.
While there, a number of services and educational events will take place, before it then moves on to Coventry where it will sit outside the city's cathedral for two months.
Mr Knowles said discussions were ongoing for the destinations after that, and they are in talks over various locations in the capital.
He said: "There is the agreement with Hull, then Coventry will have it for two months and we are in talks with other cities who want it.
"London is still the big one because of the knife issue there, and we are in talks about a number of locations."
