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The battle to tackle Britain's soaring knife crime epidemic will focus on the country's chicken shops in a new initiative.

The government has announced that hundreds of fried chicken shops across Wales and England will display messages warning of the dangers of knife crime.

It comes after a 43-year-old man was one of the latest victims in the country's rising tide of knife crime after he was left fighting for his life in a stabbing in Rhyl.

Today, the government's policing minister Kit Malthouse has announced that more than 320,000 chicken boxes with a message against carrying knives have been distributed to over 210 outlets in England and Wales.

The insides of the boxes are printed with real life stories of young people who have chosen to pursue positive activities, such as boxing or music, instead of carrying a knife.

(Image: Huddersfield Examiner)

Many of the participating shops will also have screens showing the campaign.

Mr Malthouse said: "These chicken boxes will bring home to thousands of young people the tragic consequences of carrying a knife and challenge the idea that it makes you safer.

"The government is doing everything it can to tackle the senseless violence that is traumatising communities and claiming too many young lives, including bolstering the police’s ranks with 20,000 new police officers on our streets."

The proposal was not universally welcomed, with shadow home secretary Diane Abbott describing it as "crude".

(Image: Home Office)

On Twitter, she said: "Instead of investing in a public health approach to violent crime, the Home Office have opted for yet another crude, offensive and probably expensive campaign.

"They would do better to invest in our communities not demonise them."

The campaign

The government said the campaign aimed to reduce knife crime by changing the attitudes and behaviours of young people aged between ten and 21 by highlighting positive alternatives to carrying a knife.

It also aims to challenge the perception that knife carrying is widespread and makes you safer.

It seeks to empower young people with the belief that there is a way out of knife crime, by using real-life stories of young people who made the decision to stop carrying knives and focus on positive alternative activities, such as basketball or acting.