POLICE in Crewe have stepped up their efforts to tackle knife crime in the town with the help of a 13-year-old girl.

Kinga Pietrusiak won the knife crime prevention poster competition that the force's Problem Solving Team held recently via social media.

Now the teenager's eye-catching design pleading for "less knives, more lives" is displayed on a large billboard in Mill Street.

It is estimated that more than 120,000 motorists a day will see Kinga's poster, which will be on display for the next four weeks.

PC Tom Towe said: "The competition was organised as part of our considerable ongoing efforts to tackle knife crime in the town.

"As well as taking direct action with things like knife sweeps, imposing dispersal orders and stopping people suspected of possessing weapons and searching them, it is extremely important to educate people about the dangers of carrying knives.

"That is particularly true for young people. Statistics show that young people are more likely to carry a knife and be injured by one.

"It is essential to engage with them about knife crime and encourage them to reject knife and gang culture and keep themselves safe now and in the future."

The competition gave young people in Crewe aged between 11 and 18 the chance to be part of Operation Gravitate, which aims to reduce knife crime in Crewe and the number of families affected by it.

"The standard of the artwork we subsequently received was outstanding. The children who took part had come up with some fantastic ideas, but Kinga's poster particularly stood out," added PC Towe.

"She is a worthy winner and should be very proud of herself.

"I would like to thank the Safer Cheshire East Partnership for helping to fund the billboard and to make this initiative possible.

"I hope it gets more people talking about the fact that those who carry knives put their lives at risk by doing so. Thankfully, only a very small minority of people carry weapons in Crewe."

Superintendent Peter Crowcroft, Cheshire Constabulary's representative in the Safer Cheshire East Partnership, added: "This work to engage with young people about knife crime and highlight the issue to the wider community was worthy of Safer Cheshire East Partnership funding and I would like to congratulate Kinga on winning the competition and to commend her on the quality of her poster."

Chief Inspector Sarah Heath, who is Cheshire Constabulary's knife crime lead, added: "Cheshire has a lower rate of knife crime than most other counties in England.

"We will continue to endeavour through education, awareness and action to make Cheshire a county in which no-one carries a knife or feels that there is a reason to do so."

David Keane, police and crime commissioner for Cheshire, said: "This is an excellent example of our local officers engaging with young people in the communities they serve to tackle the big issues like knife crime."

To report any type of crime involving weapons call Cheshire Constabulary on 101, or 999 in an emergency.

Information on knife and weapons crime can be passed to the force online here.

Or report it to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.