Calls for knife bin after teenager stabbed in Darlaston
Calls have been made for a knife bin to be put in place in a Walsall town after a teenager was seriously injured in a stabbing.
The 16-year-old boy was left in a serious condition after he was attacked at around 6.30pm on Monday in The Flatts, a residential cul-de-sac in Darlaston.
The road, behind Darlaston Swimming Pool, was closed in the aftermath of the attack as were Richards Street and Victoria Road.
Councillor Doug James, for Darlaston South, has now called for a knife bin and surrender campaign to be launched in the town after a 'notable increase' in tension.
He said: "We have had an increase in tension in the town centre for a couple of weeks now.
"We've had graffiti at a bus stop and ongoing anti-social behaviour issues on Asda car park.
"When I was at full council on Monday night I got an alert to say there was an incident, I was really impressed by the professionalism of the police.
"Our thoughts are with the young victim of the attack but we need to reassure the community that we have had a violent incident but I believe the local police are doing their best.
"There was an excellent initiative in Bilston so we want to bring the knife bins to Darlaston.
"If we have surrender bins and we tell people carrying knives is not acceptable as it ruins people's lives it may make a difference.
"We're going to work with young people and work out the best place to put these bins.
"We're going to meet with the police inspector later this month and try to turn this into a positive."
More than 450 blades – including machetes, huge kitchen knives, zombie knives and meat cleavers – were left in the bins across the West Midlands between September 2017 and August 2018.
Across the Black Country alone, almost 350 were handed in – including more than 200 which were dumped in the bin outside Morrison’s in Bilston.
