Reading sculpture made from knives set for town centre

A knife sculpture made of weapons collected by police is planned to stand in a town centre in memory of the victims of knife crime.

The sculpture is being created in Reading to remember those who have died or been injured following knife-related attacks in the town.

Reading Borough Council said it was hoped the artwork would be "a symbol of peace and positivity".

It is set to be installed at the Oracle shopping centre by the spring.

The town has seen a number of knife-related deaths - David Allen, Raheem Hanif, Yannick Cupido and 13-year-old Olly Stephens were all killed in stabbings.

Friends, James Furlong, Joe Ritchie-Bennett and David Wails died within minutes of being stabbed by Khairi Saadallah in Forbury Gardens during a terrorist attack in June 2020.

Karen Rowland, lead councillor for community safety, said the project aimed to support the community "in feeling empowered to change the narrative around knife carrying in Reading by repurposing the weapons and knives recovered from community knife bins and police seizures into a symbol of peace and positivity though creative arts".

She added it was hoped the sculpture would "cause each of us to pause and reflect on the devastating impact of knife crime within our communities", the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), reported.

Thames Valley Police, community groups and Reading Borough Council are behind the project.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].