It's time to take the Knife Angel to London

With two 17-year-olds dying in knife attacks at the weekend pressure is stepping up on the police and government to act.

As the Home Office pledges to urgently coordinate meetings across government to accelerate support for local authorities and Home Secretary Sajid Javid saying he will meet police chiefs to look at ways to combat violence, both the sculptor and the man who launched the Save a Life, Surrender your Knife campaign said it was time the angel went to the capital.

It spent Christmas outside Liverpool Cathedral then travelled onto Hull. Now the sculpture is on its way to Coventry Cathedral where it will spent Easter.

Alfie Bradley, who created the sculpture, said: "The knife angel made a fantastic impact in Liverpool and Hull on both young and old people alike. With all these horrible tragedies happening in London and Manchester the angel should absolutely go those cities.

It won't stop all the knife crime but will make a big impact I think."

Clive Knowles chairman of the British Ironwork Centre where the sculpture was created, said it was now time that the capital found a way of putting the sculpture into Trafalgar Square.

only that it's made a fantastic impact in Liverpool and hull for young and old people and that with all these horrible tragedies happening in London Manchester etc the angel should absolutely go to one of the main areas in London. It won't stop all the knife crime but will make a big amount think

He says that while other cities across Britain are rising to the call to host the Knife Angel, the powers that be in London remain apathetic.

But Mr Knowles said that with the help of the Bishop of Edmonton and former London Mayor. Boris Johnson backing the campaign, his is still optimistic it will find its way to London.

Gloucester Cathedral has a plinth ready and waiting for the sculpture and on Monday Mr Knowles will be in Birmingham for talks with the West Midlands police and crime commissioner, David Jamieson to see where it can go in the city. Walsall is another area that is interested in hosting the knife angel.

"The amount of people that are coming forward and the amount of calls we have had has just erupted. Other cities are rising to the challenge but London is really apathetic," Mr Knowles said.

"However I am still optimistic that we can find a way. We are having tremendous support from London's Bishop of Edmonton Right Reverend Robert Wickham who is doing all he can to help get the knife angel to the capital. And we had recent talks with Boris Johnson who is also behind us."

One of the suggested sites in London has been overlooking St Pancreas station, but Mr Knowles is still hoping that rules over Trafalgar Square can be waived.

London City Hall says that the Fourth Plinth is the site of a rolling programme of contemporary art and works have already been selected through to 2022 by the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group on behalf of the Mayor of London.