Witnesses to knife murders and serious violence are to be offered the same free specialist support as victims following the killing of a 23-year-old in front of children as young as three, the Ministry of Justice has announced.

David Gauke, the Justice Secretary, said there was increasing evidence that witnesses could suffer severe psychological trauma or retribution and should have access to the same specialist support as victims of crime.

From now, witnesses to killings will be able to get support from the Government-funded National Homicide Service, which ranges from counselling to legal advice.

Unlike current support witness schemes offered by police, it will be open to those who are not directly involved in police investigations and prosecutions.

It follows cases like the death of Glendon Spence, 23, who was stabbed in Brixton youth club in front of boys aged three who had been watching a football training session involved children aged five to eight.

Parents of the three year olds later complained that the children had not been offered any support despite being traumatised by the "terrifying" experience.

David Gauke, the Justice Secretary, who chaired the fourth day of the Downing Street summit on knife crime, said: “Serious violence devastates families and communities, however they encounter it, and can fuel a continued cycle of brutal offending if the consequences are not fully addressed.