The man behind a national campaign to create a government minister to combat knife crime says he was “gobsmacked” to see a spike in signatures from Dorset.

Just under half of the near 3,700 signatures on a petition to appoint a ‘Minister for Knife Crime Prevention’ have been signed by Dorset residents following the stabbing of 18-year-old Cameron Hamilton.

The petition was started by 56-year-old Edwin Duggan, who was inspired to act after the fatal stabbing of a 23-year-old man near his home in Buckley, north Wales.

He told the Echo: “I have been monitoring the petition from the start and didn’t know why it was shooting up all of a sudden.

“When I checked I noticed there was a massive spike from people in Bournemouth and surrounding areas.

Bournemouth Echo: Anti-knife crime march in Bournemouth on August 12, 2023.Anti-knife crime march in Bournemouth on August 12, 2023. (Image: BNPS)

“I did some digging and then read all about this poor young chap Cameron. I thought to myself, it shouldn’t have to be the case that someone has to lose their life before the numbers go up.”

At the time of writing, nearly 1,700 people in Dorset have signed the petition along with more than 50 in the New Forest.

Its aim is to have a dedicated minister who can ensure a coordinated approach to tackling knife crime, address root causes and create greater accountability.

Edwin added: “Since starting the petition I’ve been inundated with people contacting me about other stabbings around the county. Something needs to happen.

“The idea of creating a dedicated minister is not a short-term fix, it’s going to take a long time to sort. I think it will take combined efforts of the government, police, education and charities.”

Bournemouth Echo: Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Edwin Duggan at St Paul's Cathedral discussing knife crime preventionMayor of London Sadiq Khan and Edwin Duggan at St Paul's Cathedral discussing knife crime prevention (Image: Edwin Duggan)

The petition was recently backed and shared locally by Bournemouth resident Dominic Parsons, a father to two who knew Cameron from his kids’ judo class.

Ten thousand signatures are needed for the government to respond.

Edwin said: “This petition has touched a nerve with people. From an unknown place in north Wales all the way down to Bournemouth – there are links.

“I would like to take this opportunity to pass on my sincere condolences to Cameron's family, and in the same light thank those who have signed the petition.

“It is obvious that the problem of knife crime is a UK-wide problem, and it needs direction on a parliamentary level.”

Visit petition.parliament.uk/petitions/639631 to view the petition.