Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has condemned the recent spate of knife crime in Swindon and suggested ways the problem could be tackled.

She made the suggestions during a visit to speak to police about issue.

It comes after a recent surge of knife related offences and deaths in the town, including Owen Dunn, 18, who lost his life in December .

Ms Cooper walked in the town centre, accompanied by police officers and local Labour parliamentary candidates, Heidi Alexander and Will Stone.

“I think that in towns like Swindon, seeing that serious violence among young people has been particularly devasting,” she said.

Swindon Advertiser: Yvette Cooper spoke to the police in Swindon town centre on Thursday.Yvette Cooper spoke to the police in Swindon town centre on Thursday. (Image: Newsquest)

The Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford MP chatted to officers during her walk and was on hand to suggest action she felt could and should be taken.

“Over the last few months to see the number of stabbings, but also young lives lost to stabbing is just devastating,” she said.

“That is why it makes it even more urgent that we get this mix of action in place.

“We need extra police in Swindon and also extra action to stop the online knife sales that I was talking to some of the police about today, as they believe it will make a real difference.”

The politician also talked of targeting the root causes with an emphasis on helping those who commit the crimes.

Swindon Advertiser: Yvette Cooper was accompanied by parliamentary candidates Heidi Alexander and Will Stone on her tour.Yvette Cooper was accompanied by parliamentary candidates Heidi Alexander and Will Stone on her tour. (Image: Newsquest)

“We also need to stop young people being drawn into gangs and being drawn into knife crime in the first place,” she said.

“To achieve this we need a mix of stronger laws against the criminal gangs who are exploiting people and drawing them in, and also the prevention with youth mentors to work with the kids that are most at risk.”

Ms Cooper stressed they were all ways the knife crime epidemic in Swindon could be tackled and she acknowledged how much acts of violence affected the town as a whole.

“All of those things I think we have to do and when you see what’s happened with Swindon families and the community in Swindon, it just feels really important,” she said.