Shropshire's Knife Angel gets royal seal of approval in visit by Duke of Gloucester
Shropshire's striking Knife Angel sculpture has been given the royal seal of approval.
Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester, visited the poignant sculpture outside Guildford Cathedral in Surrey on Tuesday and heard about its tour of the UK including a month-long programme of anti-violence workshops to the towns and cities that it visits.
Created by artist Alfie Bradley at the British Ironwork Centre near Oswestry, the 27ft tall Knife Angel was made from about 100,000 knives and blades handed into amnesty bins or confiscated by police forces across the country.
Clive Knowles from the British Ironwork Centre said he was able to chat to the Duke of Gloucester to explain more about the sculpture and the tour of the UK.
"He was full of support and suggestions," Mr Knowles said.
"Knife crime and violence is such a huge, national problem, everyone needs to be working in one single direction. We need to include every tier of society to deal with the problem."
Also at the event was Julie Liddicott whose son, Daniel Sommerville, 24, was stabbed to death in Surrey in 2015.
She continues to campaign in anti-knife crime initiatives.
The Knife Angel will leave Guildford on Friday to travel to Bradford where it will spend April.
