Knife Angel sculpture preparing to land in Wolverhampton

Bosses at the British Ironwork Centre want the 27ft high piece – which is made of 100,000 blades collected as part of weapons amnesties – to go on display in the city centre in April, with Queen Square being touted as a possible site.

The city council is set to hold a meeting later this month to consider the plans.

It is understood that issues including funding and safety concerns over the location of the sculpture need to be ironed out before any deal is agreed.

The striking piece, which was designed and built by artist Alfie Bradley, is being showcased in towns and cities around the country to highlight the dangers of knife crime, which has increased drastically in recent years.

It is currently on display in the Welsh town of Newtown, and is expected to travel to Gateshead, Telford and Leicester in the coming months.

Wolverhampton South East Pat McFadden said he would welcome the sculpture to the city.

"I saw the sculpture last year outside Coventry Cathedral and it is a striking symbol," he said.

"I would welcome it being located in Wolverhampton – providing we can find the right place to put it.

"The key thing in combatting knife crime is to properly resource the police, and to put the right preventative work in place to try and stop young people from going down the wrong path in the first place."

Councillor Claire Darke, the Mayor of Wolverhampton, is hopeful an agreement can be reached for the city to host the sculpture.

She said: "Knife crime is a problem nationally and it is good to have a sculpture such as this to put it on the agenda."

Mr Bradley said he created the sculpture to create awareness of knife crime in the UK and the heartbreak it causes families.

In the West Midlands knife crime has more than doubled in the last eight years. It hit a record high last year, with police recording 3,428 offences involving knives or sharp instruments in the 12 months to March.