A SOUTH Somerset barbers has launched a campaign to fight knife crime, and is already taking dangerous blades off the streets across the UK.

Barbers Against Blades was set up earlier this year by David and Madeleine White, who own Lock, Stock and Barbers in South Petherton.

The pair’s #FadeTheBlade campaign allows people to anonymously discuss their fears around knife crime, and to hand in bladed weapons safely and discretely.

These include Theo Petrocelli, whose efforts in Blackpool saw the first surrender of knives for the project.

Barbers across the UK are already getting involved and seeing results, with a number of knives being given up.

David, who has run a barber shop in South Petherton for six years now, said: “Every knife handed in is a potential life saved.

“As a barber you get people coming in and talking about all the worries they have, and that includes discussing knife crime with youngsters.

“We get customers that seek advice and get stuff off their chests because they have no one else to talk to.

“We decided that we should all come together and form a group of concerned barbers raising awareness, and to make a place in the community where knives can be handed in.”

The campaign is funded and run entirely by the couple, and has already got barbers signing up from Falmouth to Scotland.

With interest already being shown in America too, David hopes #FadeTheBlade will be able to make an impact around the world.

He added: “I want all barbers to become involved so that everyone can raise their own money and help chip away at this problem.

“I have found that someone of my clients don’t even know what is going on with knife crime. It is everywhere.”

If you would like to discuss knife crime in confidence, all you need to do is find a Barbers Against Blades branch, call them up, and request a Fade The Blade appointment.

For more information, visit barbersagainstblades.co.uk.