THE lead singer of 90s power pop band Dodgy has helped raise more than £1,000 to go toward combating the rising knife crime crisis.

Nigel Clark approached Redditch Selfdefence Association and offered to do a charity gig - to help support young people in his home town of Redditch.

Nigel, who attended school with the group's founder Pete Martin, said he had been closely monitoring the important work Pete has been doing.

Mr Martin, who has the support of Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) John Campion, has visited many schools with the aim, he says, to ultimately to help save lives.

While at the schools he gives awareness talks and self defence demonstrations.

The aim is to get the simple message across that carrying a knife is the wrong thing to do.

The concert raised more than £1,000 which will be used to further this vital work.

Mr Martin said: "We still have no funding in place at all for 2020 so we rely on the generosity of local friends and bossinesses so this gesture has meant a great deal to us."

Mr Martin, who has spoke to thousands of pupils and young people, admitted that many children have said to him they sometimes carry knives.

He added that the biggest reason young people carry knives in our area is fear but that can be changed.

For more on Pete Martin or the school visits, go to redditchselfdefence.co.uk