Specials star to launch arrival of Knife Angel

THE Specials’ Neville Staple is coming to Nuneaton for a poignant reason - to launch the arrival of the Knife Angel.

The singer has been asked to officially start the statue’s month long stint in the heart of Nuneaton town centre.

He knows only too well the devastation caused by knife crime after losing his grandson Fidel, who was stabbed to death in 2018. Following the heart-breaking loss Neville has campaigned against knife crime and, at last year’s Godiva Festival, he paid a touching tribute to his grandson.

Now he has been asked to launch the arrival of the Knife Angel statue on the evening of June 1 in Nuneaton town centre. The Knife Angel will be in the space where the lilypad fountain once stood in Market Place for a month.

It is set to arrive early on June 1 and the official launch will be around 7pm.

There are hopes that the statue’s towering presence will make people, especially the borough’s younger generation, think about knife crime and its impact.

Police have not hidden the fact that the two towns have been suffering from youth violence for many months. ‘Operation Outfitter’ is set to be launched to help catch 12 notorious youngsters linked to the spate of crime.

But it is not just about putting individuals behind bars. Police hope some of them can be steered away from a life of violent crime and the Knife Angel is part of this education programme.

“I hope to see this used as an educational piece - while this is coming to the town as a focal point, the key issue is to raise awareness around violent crime and educate everyone around this serious issue,” said Chief Inspector Steve Davies.

“The angel also represents the educational strand of our Warwickshire policing model and links into Op Outfitter. Whilst Outfitter looks at the enforcement arm, the Knife Angel fits nicely into educating all of our communities.”