Spectacular Knife Angel spending October closer to home

The dramatic sculpture, made from knifes handed into or confiscated by police from across the UK, has made the long journey from Maidstone in Kent where it was all September, to Wrexham, where its home for the coming four weeks is outside the Town Hall.

The Angel, commissioned by Oswestry's British Ironwork Centre and created by artist Archie Bradley, is on a nationwide tour of towns and cities. Those who sign up to host the sculpture have to pledge to run a month of eduction events to highlight the problems of knife crime and other violence.

Also known as the National Monument Against Violence and Aggression, the Knife Angel was designed to raise awareness of violence and crime, and the affect it has on society – especially knife crime.

Wrexham Council, North Wales Police and the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin have joined forces to run the month-long awareness campaign.

Standing 27 feet tall, the Knife Angel weighs 3.5 tons, and is made from over 100,000 seized knives and weapons collected from all 43 police constabularies across the UK.

Mark Riley who took a photo of the sculpture in Wrexham said it was breathtaking.

"It really is amazing," he said.

"And the work and effort, the cleaning of the knives, blunting them all for safety and also the cooperation of the police everywhere to work with the sculptor to create it all."

A knife bank for people to get rid of their knives stands next to the Angel.