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The troubling rise of knife crime has prompted a major Liverpool based cutlery firm to invent a blade it is "impossible to stab someone with."

The knives are designed to reduce serious knife wounds caused by domestic violence, gangland attacks or accidental injury and are due to hit the shelves of retailers in January next year.

The designs are the brain-child of Rayware, the Speke based firm which owns several major kitchenware brands including Viners.

Rayware says rising reports of knife crime and changes in the law gave its product developers the idea to try and produce prototypes that could be sold safely in shops.

According to staff at Viners, knife-related crime incidents are at a record high and there have been reported 285 fatalities in the last 12 months alone.

(Image: Dominic Perkins/The Rayware Group)

The UK Government has taken the decision to reclassify kitchen knives as an offensive weapon within the Offensive Weapons Act 2019, leading some retailers including Asda and Tesco to remove single knives from sale in retail stores.

The result is a range named Assure, which according to Viners will not pierce the skin and they say will not even pop a balloon.

The knives range from between 3.5-8inches, and will sell for between £3.50 and £5 per blade.

Kate O’Neill, Head of Product and Marketing at Rayware, told the ECHO the plans had come from the "drip drip" effect of constant bleak headlines about rising knife crime.

She said: "The directors live locally and they all read the same news we all do.

"At the highest levels everybody felt really strongly about it. I think it was the drip drip effect of the headlines and publicity.

"From the very top we thought we can do something about this."

Kate told the ECHO the prototype was created at the Speke site using a 3D printer, and extensive testing has taken place.

She said: "It is not possible to pierce the skin with a stabbing motion, it's impossible."

The company say they hope the knives will not only help reduce violence , but also prove safe options for vulnerable people with disabilities.

Professor John Ashton, advisor to the Merseyside Police & Crime Commissioner on violence prevention, has welcomed the new initiative

Prof. Ashton said: “Viners has potential to make a significant contribution to knife safety within the home and wider community.

"Knife crime has seen an alarming increase, not just locally but across the whole of the UK, so it is extremely encouraging to see a Liverpool-based firm taking the initiative to lead the way on this topic.

"As a proud Liverpudlian myself, I am delighted to see Viners taking responsibility to address this public health concern."

Rayware says all knives from the Assure collection have been "repeatedly tested to ensure the tip does not pierce skin intentionally or otherwise" and will be supplied to retailers in improved packaging with tamper-proof measures to reduce knife theft in store.

The ‘Think 25’ logo has also been added to packaging to remind retailers to check proof of identity to anyone they suspect under the age of 18 at the point of purchase.

The firm carried out market research and put the idea to consumers in a survey.

They found 65% of the 1,700 respondents said that they would choose the Assure range over a standard knife, with 76% of consumers happy for this style of knife to be the only one on sale as a single knife in retail stores.