Standing tall at 27ft and weighing 3.5 tonnes, The Knife Angel will be installed near the leisure centre in the town centre for the whole of June.
Its arrival holds special meaning for Newton Aycliffe, following the tragic loss of teenager Jack Woodley, who was stabbed to death at a funfair in Houghton-le-Spring in 2021.
Jack’s mum, Zoe McGill, has been working with Sergeant Andy Boyd of the Newton Aycliffe Neighbourhood Policing Team to share Jack’s tragic story with teenagers.
She campaigned for the sculpture to visit Jack’s hometown and previously said she was “honoured” it would be coming here, and is hoping it stops such a tragedy from ever happening in the area again.
Created by artist Alfie Bradley at The British Ironwork Centre, the structure is made from blades surrendered during knife amnesties and has toured the UK since 2018.
The visit follows years of tireless campaigning by The Northern Echo through its Knife Crime Task Force, a regional body aimed at preventing young people from being stabbed on our streets following the deaths of several young people in our region.
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The visit will be accompanied by a series of community events and activities, including school visits, poster and photography competitions, and more.
Neighbourhood Sergeant Andy Boyd said: “We know that knife crime ruins lives. Even in an area with relatively low knife crime, we cannot afford to ignore it. One injury, one death, is one too many.”
Throughout June, Durham Police will also be running a knife amnesty, where weapons handed in at local police stations will go to the British Ironworks Centre to support the ongoing work of the Knife Angel.
