Artist Alfie Bradley hopes to bring his sculpture made with 100,000 confiscated knives to London

The creator of a sculpture made from 100,000 confiscated knives wants to bring his monument to London after seeing the “massive impact” it has had in other cities.

Alfie Bradley spent two years creating the 27ft Knife Angel, below, from blades he collected from police knife banks around the UK. He then asked victims’ families to inscribe messages on the knives, which were used to form wings.

The artwork, which he describes as a monument against violence and aggression, has been on tour around the UK. Mr Bradley now wants to bring it to the capital to raise awareness of knife crime. At least 22 people have been fatally stabbed in London this year, seven of whom were teenagers.

He said: “London has always been top of the agenda because knife crime has got absolutely ridiculous.”

The piece’s commissioner, the British Ironwork Centre in Shropshire, applied to have it put on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square, but sculptures have already been selected until 2022. Mr Bradley said he now wants it installed “where most people will see it”.