YOUNG people across Bolton are being encouraged to spray graffiti on the town’s walls and pavements as part of a new anti-knife crime campaign.

Messages using clean graffiti — where images are created by using a high power washer on dirty surfaces — will be seen in Farnworth and Tonge Moor, where lives have been lost due to knife crime, as well as the town centre.

The Lives not Knives campaign is being run by Bolton Council’s Youth Inclusion Team, with funding from the Ben Kinsella Trust and support from the Prince’s Trust.

During the 10-week project, the teenagers have met with perpetrators of knife crime in prison and conducted research into why knife crime happens.

They worked with professionals to design and create hard-hitting posters illustrating the consequences of carrying a knife.

Alex Markey, aged 14, from Farnworth, said: “Doing this was very important, because we want people to stop carrying knives.

“Learning about the consequences of the knife crime are very upsetting.

“We want schools to put up these posters.”

Malcolm Maywood, aged 14, from Halliwell, who knows a victim of knife crime, said: “We have been posting the leaflets to houses to make people think about and be more wary of carrying a knife.”

Kieran Liddell, aged 14, from Farnworth, said: “It was interesting taking part in the project and hard work.”

The trio said that they would be spreading the message themselves to their peers.

The Ben Kinsella Trust was set up to educate children about the consequences of knife crime.

It was established by the family of Ben Kinsella, who was stabbed to death in June 2008, when he was aged just 16.

His sister, actress Brooke Kinsella, has led an anti-knife campaign message since his tragic death.

Nigel Harrison, of the Youth Inclusion Team, said: “These young people did this voluntarily and I am very impressed with the work they have done.

“I think this campaign will have even more of an impact because it is young people putting across the message.”

He added: “We have been emailing Brooke who has seen the work of the young people and given her seal of approval.”