A North Yorkshire town is rallying together to host a striking sculpture constructed entirely with knives.

Redcar will host The National Monument Against Violence and Aggression, known as the Knife Angel, for the month of August.

The angel is returning to the area three years after the iconic monument was hosted in Middlesbrough in 2019.

It comes as part of the National Youth Anti-Violence Educational Programme Tour.

Created by the British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry, the Knife Angel aims to become a catalyst for social change and community discussion.

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Sculpted from over 100,000 seized and surrendered knives collected from all 43 British Police Force Constabularies, the monument will be on display in the grounds of Kirkleatham Museum until August 31 2022.

North Yorkshire has seen knife crime rise by 80% since between 2020 and 2021 and the statistics for knife crime by Cleveland Police make them the second highest in the UK.

This has been a driving force for bringing the Knife Angel to the North Yorkshire town and in an aim to increase the community’s intolerance to violence.

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An opening ceremony for the sculpture was held on August 2 which saw town officials joining the Anti-Violence Charter Pledge, and declaring themselves as a location that rejects all forms of violence.

The monument is set to be displayed until August 31.

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