A FIGURE made of knives and guns, and the first of its kind in the UK, will visit Herefordshire this week.

The Anti-violence Bee will tour the three counties covered by West Mercia Police to help raise awareness of the dangers of carrying a knife.

It will tour the force area from November 6 to November 20, as part of an anti-violence education programme.

The Bee will visit schools and community hubs across Telford, Shrewsbury, Worcester, and Hereford among other areas, to educate and raise awareness of the dangers of carrying weapons.

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It will visit Leominster Police Boxing Club on Wednesday, November 9, between 2pm and 5pm.

Hereford Cathedral will see the bee on Thursday, November 10, between 9am and 11.30am.

It will also visit South Wye Boxing Club between 12pm and 6pm on the same day.

The Anti-violence Bee was created by the British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry, Shropshire, the same company that made the Knife Angel, which attracted thousands of visitors to its tour of cities across the country.

It’s hoped the Bee will replicate the Knife Angel's impact but also reach more communities in the region - it has been specially designed on a trailer to allow it to be easily transported to schools and public spaces.

The Knife Angel visited Hereford in June 2021.

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Two years in the making, the Anti-violence Bee was originally commissioned by Greater Manchester Police, and it is made up of thousands of weapons taken from the streets of the city.

The worker bee is an important symbol to the people of Manchester and was chosen to show the strength of community.

Working in partnership with local councils West Mercia Police is delighted to secure the Bee at the start of a national tour.

It will also coincide with Operation Sceptre, a national operation designed to educate young people about the dangers and consequences of carrying a knife, target those who carry weapons and disrupt the sale and supply of knives.