Bristol stabbing: 'Another tragedy on our doorstep' says anti-knife crime campaigner

Anti-knife crime campaigner Leanne Reynolds called for urgent action to end the violence. Credit: PA

An anti-knife crime campaigner who held a vigil for two teenagers stabbed to death in the Knowle West area of Bristol at the weekend has said it is "another tragedy on our doorstep."

Police officers were called to the scene on Ilminster Avenue, just after 11pm on 27 January.

They believe the two boys, named locally as Max Dixon, 16, and Mason Rist, 15, had been attacked by several people who made off from the scene in a car.

Police have arrested a 44-year-old man and 15-year-old boy in connection with the incident, but say they're continuing to look for other suspects.

Tributes left to the victims who have been named locally as Mason Rist, 15, and Max Dixon, age 16.

Police want to hear from the passengers of the double-decker bus that was at the scene when the attack happened.

Leanne Reynolds is an anti-knife crime campaigner for Bristol and the South West.

She has installed knife surrender bins and around 150 bleed kits in the city but believes more needs to be done to prevent lives from being lost.

Speaking at a vigil for the two boys, Ms Reynolds said: "It's just devastating, the whole community is going to feel this. It's a very close community Knowle West and there's no words.

"To those two families today to wake up without their children, my thoughts are with them. This is just another tragedy on our doorstep."

She is calling for more funding for education and knife crime prevention.

Candles were lit in memory of the two boys who lost their lives. Credit: PA

"It needs to stop, we still need to push to get education we need to explain to these kids that knives are not the way. They need to stop carrying knives," she said.

In August, the Home Office announced that tougher measures on machetes and zombie-style knives would be introduced.

From September it is set to be illegal to sell, possess, manufacture or transport zombie-style knives or machetes and the maximum sentence for anyone caught with banned weapons will be increased from 6 months to two years.

Speaking at the vigil, Ms Reyonds addressed the crowds: "We need to stand up now as a community, as a city. We need to stand up and we're not going to put up with this.

"No child should be on our street with a knife, they have no reason. Go home, search your children's room.

"Do not let your children come in with new clothes, new trainers and you don't know where they're from. They are being groomed. Get your kids off the streets."

A minute's silence was then held for the two teenagers who lost their lives.

A GoFundMe page has been set up for the boys to help give them the "send off they deserve".

Shania Hartrey, who launched the fundraiser, writes: "The whole community can not get thier heads around it.

"Two young boys not having a clue what would have been going on got stabbed just minutes away from one of their homes.

"Can not imagine what the family’s are going through, let’s raise as much as we can to help these parents give these two little boys the send of they deserve."

The fundraising target is £2,500.