'Saving just one life is worth it': Grieving dad's mission to stop knife crime

Martin Cosser tells ITV London's Carolyn Sim how he's determined to keep his son Charlie's legacy alive and to hopefully save more lives

This Christmas will be a challenging one for the Cosser family.

It will be their first without 17-year-old Charlie Cosser, from Milford in Surrey, who was stabbed to death at an end of term party in July.

The talented footballer, who played with Brentford Academy, had been on a landscaping course and wanted to be a groundskeeper for Chelsea FC.

His father, Martin Cosser, described him as a "beautiful soul" with a "gentle, kind heart", adding: "He taught me, in a lot of ways, how to be a better person."

A 16-year-old boy is due to stand trial in the New Year over Charlie's killing in Warnham, West Sussex.

Mother, 41, charged with murder of her four-year-old son
Charlie was a talented footballer who had ambitions to work as a groundskeeper for Chelsea FC.

Charlie's family may not get closure until then, but his dad has vowed to make a difference and to keep his son's legacy alive.

Mr Cosser has set up a charity, Charlie's Promise, in his son's name and is raising money for it on JustGiving.

He has also been giving talks at schools in the hopes of making young people think twice before picking up a knife.

“I’m not silly enough to think that I can eradicate knife crime through this charity, he told ITV London.

"But if we can make a difference to save one life then it’s got to be worth it. Let’s not ignore it.”

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