An iconic knife sculpture is coming to the Black Country next month.

The Knife Angel, which is a powerful symbol of the destructive nature of knife crime in the community, will stand in Gallery Square in Walsall from Friday, December 1 to Thursday, December 28.

Standing at 27ft tall and weighing 3.5 tons, it is made up of 100,000 blunted knives received from 43 police forces across the UK.

It took two years to create and has toured UK towns and cities since November 2018.

Councillor Garry Perry, from Walsall Council, said: “The consequences of knife crime are all too real with those who carry a knife more likely to have it used against them.

“The council is committed to the safety and strength of our local communities, celebrating the positives, and tackling the challenges head on.”

The sculpture is designed to raise awareness about the devastating consequences of carrying knives and prompt meaningful conversations.

Chief Superintendent from Walsall Police, Phil Dolby, said: “It’s hard to under-estimate how impactful the sculpture is - take the opportunity to visit it when it arrives in Walsall.

““It is especially powerful when you remind yourself that each and every one of the hundreds of knives which make up the sculpture comes from an incident of knife-related crime somewhere in the

country. I hope that, for the time that it is in Walsall borough, it provokes thought, discussion and positive change.”

The Knife Angel sculpture has been brought to the town through a partnership with the James Brindley Foundation, Walsall Council, West Midlands Police and the British Ironwork Centre.

It has been organised in association with sponsors Avison Young, Amey, Willenhall Lock Stock, ABA Cranes, Tarmac, Bescot Promotions, Transport for the West Midlands, Midland Machinery (Heavy Lift) Ltd and The New Art Gallery Walsall.