Shock campaign to curb knife crime launched

London: The British government launched a £3 million national advertising campaign yesterday to warn young people about the effects of knife crime amid growing fears the issue is getting out of control.

The move came as London's Metropolitan Police unveiled a haul of weapons recovered during the first two weeks of a blitz on knife crime. Harry Potter actor Robert Knox became the latest teenage stabbing victim on Saturday when he was knifed to death in Kent.

The hard-hitting adverts featuring real wounds, which will be run on radio, websites and mobile phones, will warn youngsters about the harsh physical and emotional consequences of knife crime. The campaign, to be run over the next three years, was developed and written by young people who have been affected by knife crime.

Involving mothers

A series of ads aimed at mothers will run simultaneously. “People have got to get the message that if they carry a knife, there's more chance of it being used against them,'' Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker said.