A professional cage fighter’s video campaign to try to rid Liverpool of knife crime has gone viral just a few days after being launched.
Mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Paul Bentley said he had to do something after he was horrified to hear of knives being brought into school by children.
In an effort to highlight the problem, Paul called on Scousers to go on video and demand that knives are not brought into the street as part of his #nomoreknives campaign.
The aims of his campaign became even clearer this week following the tragic and needless death of Sam Cook while on a night out in the city centre last weekend.
And earlier this week, a teenage girl needed hospital treatment after being “stabbed” in the back as two young men rode past her on push bikes in Litherland.
Dozens of people have now made videos and sent them to Paul, including Liverpool boxer Tony ‘The Bomber’ Bellew, who said: "Liverpool is my city. No more knives."
Speakers can also nominate others to add their video to the campaign.
Dad-of-two Paul, 36, said: “It seems a new generation are trying to bring knives in to deal with things.
"We are saying put the knives down and to use a non-violent approach.
“I fight for a living and I do it properly like a man.”
Paul, who owns the FPTS gym, in Speke, said the issue was brought home to him on one of his training sessions with school children.
He added: "One 13-year-old said one of his friends had brought a knife into school because there was another kid at school who was carrying one.
"He made it sound like it was a normal, average thing to happen and we need to put a stop to it.
"We need to embarrass people enough not to get involved with knives and, if they do, they deserve everything they get for it."
To find out more about the #nomoreknives campaign, visit Paul Bentley’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/paul.bentley.923171
