Medic given a star role

Jan 2 2006 By Alison Dayani, Health Correspondent

A SENIOR Birmingham doctor is spearheading a campaign to halt soaring levels of stabbings by starring in a police documentary.

Dr Tony Bleetman, A&E consultant at Heartlands and Solihull Hospitals, was hand-picked to speak on the traumatic effect of knife injuries for a DVD launched by London's Metropolitan Police.

The doctor, who specialises in emergency treatment of knife wounds, is now being seen by thousands of youths across the capital who were posted a copy of documentary, KnifeCity.

Dr Bleetman said: "At Heart-lands, we see the devastation that knife crime can cause in people's lives, and I welcome this campaign by the Metropolitan Police.

"It is only by carrying out attention grabbing exercises like this that we will succeed in reducing the number of injuries and fatalities that are caused by this sort of life-threatening crime."

KnifeCity includes an interview with Dr Bleetman, real-life accounts from knife victims and parents who have lost their child to violence, along with a computer generated animation to emphasise the tragic personal and criminal consequences of carrying a knife.

Commander Alf Hitchcock who is in charge of Operation Blunt, the Met's strategy to combat knife crime in the capital, said: "This is a new and innovative method of connecting with young people in London."