TORY POLICE CUTS LINKED TO UK STABBING EPIDEMIC

ONE police station a week is closing while the knife crime epidemic snuffs out an increasing number of lives, the Mirror can reveal.

Almost one in four stations – nearly 500 – have gone for good across England and Wales since 2010 and more than 30 have disappeared since last summer alone.

Many shut as a result of the brutal Tory austerity drive that forced drastic cutbacks on policing – resulting in fewer officers on the beat and a gulf between them and the communities desperate for their help. The impact has been brought into sharp focus by a wave of knife crime in which 10 teens have been stabbed to death so far this year.

Our revelation comes as four former Home Secretaries join the families of victims in backing our campaign to End the Knife Epidemic. We are demanding action on police numbers, youth services and education – and the appointment of a knife crime tsar.

Earlier, Met Commissioner Cressida Dick said there was “obviously” a link between the two. THE blundering contractors who painted this safety marking really should be told to hit the road. Pedestrians were advised to “Look rigt” as they used a crossing outside the civic hall in Leeds, West Yorkshire.

Leeds city council said: “We are aware of an error on road markings. Work is being carried out to correct this.” At least things went the right way with left…