Liam Payne reveals knifepoint robbery ordeal in Bilston

Former One Direction star Liam Payne has revealed he was held by knifepoint in Bilston when he was just 12-years-old.

The Wolverhampton-born singer spoke out on Twitter over knife crime after admitting he was lucky to escape his ordeal.

The singer, who has a son with ex-partner Cheryl, told his 32 million Twitter followers: “I was held at knifepoint by a man in Bilston when I was 12 and me and my friend were robbed – luckily that was all that happened and me and my friend walked away with our lives - not everyone is so lucky.

The ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ singer added: “Having a knife in your pocket doesn’t make you any more of a person, it makes you a risk. Put it down and don’t become a statistic. Find your power in other things that make you become more and greater than you ever thought you could be."

It comes as West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has warned the situation must be tackled after a spate of stabbings, including three fatal attacks in a two-week period.

He has also offered to work with Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson, just days after he was cleared of any wrongdoing over a tweet sent in his name drumming up support for his office to take over the PCCs.

• Mayor Andy Street: 'Unacceptable' knife crime must be tackled

Meanwhile the father of murdered James Brindley has said knife crime has become a "national crisis".

James Brindley, 26, was stabbed in the heart 400 metres from his parents' home in Aldridge, Walsall, in June 2017.

His killer, 17-year-old Ammar Kahrod, was sentenced to 17 years in prison for the random attack.

Now his parents, Mark and Beverley Brindley, have launched fundraising charity The James Brindley Foundation, along with the James Brindley Full Circle Offender Management Programme to deliver a 12-week initiative, with one on one counselling for troubled teens.

Mr Brindley said that more needs to be done to tackle knife crime which has become "a national emergency, a national crisis".