Pupils to watch blade horror videos

Russell Steele 1627 - 1627 • Published 22 Jun 2009 14:00

YOUNG people in Inverclyde are to watch a video nasty which shows the horrific consequences of knife crime.

The Tele revealed last week how this area has been chosen as the pilot for the Scottish Government"s "No Knives, Better Lives" initiative, which includes a structured educational programme for second-year pupils in our high schools.

That preventative strategy will be backed by stark messages which will be distributed by a variety of electronic means - as suggested by the young people who have been helping to shape the No Knives initiative.

They include two hard-hitting short clips which will be screened in the Greenock Waterfront Cinema over the summer.

The first features an ambulance paramedic giving a chilling account of the panic that can be seen on the faces of youngsters who have been stabbed in the neck.

But the paramedic tells how the expressions of fear don"t last long - because the victims "are usually dead within a minute".

The ambulance man also tells how slashing victims take their injuries "really badly" - but don"t realise they are the "lucky ones".

A second powerful clip sees an embalmer talking through the process of how the bodies of young male knife victims are prepared before their mothers see their sons for the last time. He says: 'In some cases there"s only so much we can do - but we try our best.'

Knife-crime campaigner John Muir said he had been impressed by the clips when they were screened at the launch of the No Knives, Better Lives campaign in Port Glasgow on Friday - and felt they would have an impact.

Mr Muir said: 'When I watched the videos I thought they both contained some very powerful stuff, without showing any gore.

'I noticed everyone in the room was watching them very intently. They will certainly make people think and talk about knife crime and something decent will come of that.'

See the videos for yourself by going to www.scotland.gov.uk/knives

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This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 22 Jun 09

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