Knife Angel arrives at Colchester's Jumbo Water Tower

The Knife Angel, which is made of 100,000 seized blades and was designed as a memorial to the victims of knife crime, is on display in the city centre.

Ann Oakes-Odger, whose 27-year-old son Westley was murdered in Greenstead in 2005, was instrumental in supporting the concept and design of the sculpture after being contacted by the British Ironworks Centre, which built and owns the Knife Angel.

Together they penned a letter to be sent to everyone who had contacted Ann through a knife crime website she set up after her son’s death asking if they would like to add an inscription to one of the sculpture’s blades.

Support - Ann Oakes-Odger, whose son Westley Odger (right) was murdered in Colchester in 2005 (Image: Newsquest)

She said the response was “tremendous” with more than 250 inscriptions from bereaved families etched on the sculpture.

Bereaved mum: 'It's glorifying knives'

But bereaved mum Ellie Ingram doesn’t share Ms Oakes-Odger’s enthusiasm, accusing the Knife Angel of “glorifying knives”.

Since learning the sculpture would be coming to the city where her 26-year-old son Tom Brittain was stabbed to death, Ellie has complained to Colchester Council and is pushing for a judicial review to establish who allowed the Knife Angel to come to Colchester.

“Ann has her reasons for supporting it and I understand those,” she said. “Everybody is different, but this is about victims of horrific crimes that have been committed that people have to live with.”

Victim - Tom Brittain was murdered in Colchester in 2013 (Image: Family)

The mum-of-four added: “No one wants their child to be forgotten or for anyone else to die from knife crime, but spending money on a knife angel doesn’t make sense to me.”

Clive Knowles, the chairman of the British Ironworks Centre, defended the Knife Angel, claiming its impact has been “colossal” nationally.

“It is, and has only ever been, the catalyst to drive greater efforts in launching youth anti-violence initiatives and programmes across the UK,” he said.

Art - the Knife Angel is on display in Colchester until October 31 (Image: Newsquest)

The towering Knife Angel is on display outside the Jumbo Water Tower until October 31.

Colchester Council and its partners have also arranged a programme of activities and events throughout the month to raise awareness of knife crime.