Connor Brown's parents deliver kits across Sunderland to try and save knife victims

The parents of a teenager who was stabbed to death in Sunderland have been installing vital equipment at fire stations to try to save others injured in knife attacks.

Connor Brown died on a night out with friends in 2019 after being murdered with a knife.

His parents, Tanya and Simon Brown, set up a charity in his name to try and tackle knife crime.

They have been delivering kits used to help stop bleeding to community venues across Wearside, including five fire stations on Friday 19 May.

Mr and Mrs Brown have already installed them on other community buildings across  Wearside including pubs and libraries.

Mrs Brown said: "My reasons are for knife crime but they are ultimately to stop bleed-outs - controlling the bleeds. So they can be used across any accident, any type of catastrophic bleed, and those final few seconds of stopping that bleed is vital."

If fire crews are out on a call, the kits can be used by members of the public.

Tyne and Wear Fire service delivery manager, Dave Leach, said: "So if there is nobody in the station and something tragic has happened and some body has been stabbed then the caller can ring 999. They will be directed to the nearest bleed kit.

"They will also be talked through and given the access code to access the box on the wall and then they will be guided by advice over the phone from the ambulance service on what to do with the kit and that is if no one is on the station."

The boxes costs around £500 each and have been paid for by the charity set up in Connor's name.

The Connor Brown Trust was founded two years ago and it aims to educate about knife crime and prevent it.

• Watch Katie Cole's report.

Mr Brown said: "Knowing that we are doing this, it is us getting some positivity from the negativity.

"It warms the heart and we know we are doing something good in the community which is what we always intended on doing.

"The people of Sunderland and further afield, they were there for us in our darkest days, and this is us putting something back."

Mrs Brown added: "I'd like to think Connor was proud of us for doing what we are doing and that's enough for me."

The aim is to put these boxes on all Tyne and Wear fire stations.

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