KNIFE crime campaigners are interviewing children and teenagers on the streets of Basildon to find out how scared they are of weapon-wielding gangs.

Campaigners from anti-knife crime charity Only Cowards Carry have been taking to Basildon town centre this week to survey the fears about weapons from children living in the town.

Following the surveys, they hope to introduce extra training sessions in schools to address the real fears that children have about being attacked with knives.

Caroline Shearer, from Clacton, set up Only Cowards Carry after her son Jay Whiston, 17, was stabbed to death at a Colchester house party in September 2012.

She has now dedicated her life to making a difference and teaching children about the perils of carrying a blade.

She said: “We want to stop this cowardly culture we have got where children think it is fine to carry knives - they think they are big and brave and threatening.

“What they don’t realise is that carrying a knife could be harmful to themselves, someone could grab the knife and turn it against them.

“We are carrying out a project with Basildon Council so that we can gauge the worries of kids, aged anywhere from eight to 18,

“We are finding that the majority of them are worried about gangs and gangs threatening them.

“Kids are scared and they are worried. They all know someone who is carrying a knife.

“We are using an anonymous questionnaire, not about what kids are doing themselves but the dangers of what other kids can do.”

As part of a longer term plan, Only Cowards Carry hope to install a second knife amnesty bin in among the shops in Basildon town centre to replicate the one already positioned outside the Chalvedon Social Club in Pitsea.

The first bin was installed in the wake of the murder of Darren Kelly, 42, who was stabbed by 20-year-old Chris Carroll in Caister Drive, Pitsea, in October 2015.

In June last year, Daniel Mitchell-Monroe, 37, was savagely attacked outside Iceland, in Market Pavement, by Joram Bakumanya, 22.

The dad-of-one died at the scene from stab wounds to his chest.

Anyone with information about knife crime on the streets of Basildon and beyond, can call Essex Police on 101 or independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Alternatively, visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org to complete an online form.