Whilst I think it's laudable to have campaign against knife crime, I think it would be more appropriate to have a campaign against violence in the town centre. Stabbings are still relativly rare when compared to assaults in the Town Centre, and, a punch can be just as fatal as a knife wound. It seems that there are groups of people who seem to want to go into town in order to have a fight, and then you get thier "victims" wanted revenge, so they commit more assaults etc.
Anyone convicted of a violent crime in the Town Centre should be banned from all the pubs/clubs/bars in the town centre for at least 12 months. Anyone found carrying a weapon (as well as a custodial sentance) should be banned for 5 years.
The police would be able to tell you at the start of the night who would be fighting by end of it, why should those of us who want to go for a night out, have to witness and get caught up in violence?

The media, press and TV, must take some of the blame for the escalation in knife crime. Had the resent spate of stabbing in London not been given saturation coverage by the media I don't think the Bolton attacks would have happened, a knife is almost the latest 'must have' fashion item amongst the feeble minded members of the community. Certainly report the attacks but the press should not continually make it front page news.

Perhaps these same friends could have taken some interest in violent crime while Mr Gilligan was alive, and encouraged him to behave himself? Might have saved his life?

Like I said in a letter which I believe was printed in the BEN last week, do what they do in Saudi,all people accused of violence with a knife or gun, chop the hand off in public, and watch crime stop within weeks, if not days.