Grandmother of murder victim 'in tears' as Knife Angel is unveiled in Southend

THE grandmother of a murder victim broke down in tears as a huge Knife Angel was unveiled in Southend as a “poignant reminder” of the devastation caused by violent crime.

The 27ft sculpture, made from more than 100,000 confiscated blades, was unveiled at a touching ceremony at Victoria Circus yesterday.

Unveiled - The Knife Angel in Southend (Image: Gaz De Vere)

Julie Taylor, who was at the ceremony, tragically lost her grandson, Liam Taylor, 19, when he was murdered outside a pub in Writtle in January 2020.

She was also presented with a National Youth Anti-Violence Educational Award in recognition of her positive impact on Southend.

Legacy - Julie Taylor being presented with her award (Image: Gaz De Vere)

She said: “This is the first time I have seen the Knife Angel statue in real life and it made me cry, which was unexpected. It was a very emotional moment for me, the powerful message sent by that statue.

"I hope whoever looks at it, regardless of their age, realises that each knife represents a beautiful life lost to senseless murder. Just drop the knife, and value life.”

Following his tragic passing, Liam Taylor’s Legacy was established in his memory by his grandmother to raise funds for bleed control kits across the county.

Crime - At the ceremony on Monday morning (Image: Gaz De Vere)

The Knife Angel, designed by artist Alfie Bradley and the British Ironworks Centre, was completed in 2018 and tours the country to educate and raise awareness around knife crime.

As part of the ceremony, Southend was presented with a plaque - the National Anti Violence Charter - to recognise the city’s “unrelenting efforts” to “renounce violence in all its forms”.

Education - School children visit the Knife Angel (Image: Gaz De Vere)

Colin Ansell chief executive at Southend Council, said: “By bringing the Knife Angel to Southend and delivering a month-long programme of action, we are proactively raising awareness about this growing problem and highlighting to the local community the need for collective action to address this issue.”

Ceremony - 'Anti-violence' in Southend (Image: Gaz De Vere)

Anna Firth, Conservative candidate for Southend West and Leigh, added: “For the second year in a row, fear of knife crime is the biggest fear that our young people face and I’ve been working hard to ensure that our police have adequate resources to tackle it.”

The other candidates for Southend West and Leigh are David Burton-Sampson (Lab), Tom Darwood (Independent), Robert Francis (Independent), Tilly Hogrebe (Green), Lara Hurley (Heritage), Peter Little (Reform), James Miller (Confelicity), Jason Pilley (Psychedelic Movement), and Stephen Cummins (Lib Dems)