YOUNG people in Bury are helping to stamp out knife-crime.

Pupils from across the borough have designed a series of posters highlighting the dangers of carrying knives as part of a project by Bury-based arts company Music For Young People.

The youngsters created the posters for an awareness competition as part of a six week anti-knives project through MFYP's alternative education programme.

The competition was won by 15-year-old Dominic Shenton, from Derby High School.

His design has now been duplicated and MFYP is aiming to place the posters in schools, bars and shops around the borough to highlight the issue's importance.

Dominic said: "To me knife crime is like anything bad on the planet it shouldn't be here.

"There are so many victims a year to knife crime and I don't know why people see the need to carry knives and go around to places and hurt others. It's not right.

"While I was making this poster I could feel nothing but sympathy for the victims of this cruel act.

"I wanted to make it as direct as possible to show how much damage knives cause."

Founded in 2006 Music For Young People provides a range of services including youth work and education through Urban art forms, working with people aged six to 25 across Greater Manchester and the UK.

The group's anti-knives project involved discussions about the dangers of carrying knives, legal implications and the impact this can have on victims, families and the wider community.

The young people also watched video footage and listened to real life cases of knife crimes.

Deon Roach, director of Music For Young People, said: "Knife crime is a very serious issue, over the last 12 years we have been involved in various campaigns and it remains to be a massive problem amongst our youth, this needs to change.

"It saddens me to hear of recent incidents and that children and young people are continuing to carry and use such weapons in any case.

"Hopefully this poster can make people think twice before carrying a knife and using it."