AN MP has praised the work of a charity set up to stop young people carrying knives.

Only Cowards Carry showed teenagers how much blood a stabbed person loses and the limited food and toiletries in prison at Southend’s community partnership day.

James Duddridge, MP for Rochford and Southend East, visited the charity’s stall to speak to staff.

He said: “I am grateful for the work that Only Cowards Carry do. Thanks to organisations such as them working with our police force, young people are more enlightened about the potential consequences of carrying a knife or abusing substances. “As such, they play a vital part in making our community safer.

“When tackling knife crime we need to ensure that our approach is not solely focused on law enforcement, very important as that is, but depends also on partnerships across a number of sectors. In particular, it needs the support of communities thinking about what they can themselves do to help prevent violent crime happening in the first place and how they can support measures to get young people and young adults involved in positive activities.”

Mr Duddridge was also shown the damage done to internal organs from stab wounds and a number of special goggles designed to impair the senses as certain substances would.

It follows residents taking to the streets in protest marches following the death of teenager Fabian Kacica, who was stabbed on the streets of Southend.

More than 100 people turned out for the march, calling for greater police presence and more youth programmes, and took part in a public meeting, held by Essex Police, where there were tense scenes.

Fabian Kacica, 19, from Southend, Essex, was murdered near the town’s library last month.

Four people have been charged with murder following the death of Mr Kacica.