The family of a Swindon boy who was stabbed to death are urging parents to know the signs that suggest their children may be carrying a knife.

The Owen’s World charity set up by relatives of 18-year-old Owen Dunn, after he was murdered in December 2022, has launched a new campaign called Check Your Children.

The campaign is being backed by Wiltshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Wilkinson, and addresses how criminal gangs are recruiting children by offering to buy them goods and virtual rewards.

Owen was carrying a knife when he was killed, and Zoe Mitchell, his mother, says he wasn't aware of this until she was informed by the police.

She said: “I used to say that [her child would never carry a weapon].

“You’ve got to think, it could just possibly be my kid. It doesn’t hurt just to check them.”

Owen’s grandmother, Trish Aldred, added: “You’ve really got to question what they’re doing because otherwise, you could end up the way we’ve ended up, losing our Owen - and we’ll never get over losing him.”

Natasha Gell is employed by the OPCC as the serious violence duty co-ordinator for Wiltshire and Swindon, and understands the difficult situation it may create for carers if they have suspicions their children may be involved in gang-related crime or are carrying a weapon for protection.

She said: “There might be a concern around asking those questions as you’re not quite sure where it might lead and what do you do when you get those answers, because nobody wants to report their child to the police.

“It’s important for members of the public to remember that the police are really engaged with recognising that many children and young people are being criminally exploited into criminal activity.”

Criminal gangs are using virtual rewards which can be given and spent online, such as avatars and virtual currency, which means that parents and carers are often unaware of their existence.

Wiltshire Police pointed out that, though most young people in Wiltshire and Swindon are not involved in gangs and do not carry weapons, the perception is very different.

Ms Gell added: “We are aware from a survey that was conducted locally that a lot of people, even children and young people themselves, believe that more of their peers are carrying a knife than are actually carrying.

“The survey showed that around three per cent of children and young people would be carrying a knife. Most of them would let us know, colloquially, that the reasons anybody would be carrying a knife would be for self-protection.

“And the same survey highlighted children and young felt that around 19 per cent of their peers might be carrying a knife.

“This misconception is really dangerous, because we are concerned that some of that three per cent might be carrying a knife because they believe that lots of other people are too.”

Signs that a young person may be involved in County Lines activity include being disengaged from their usual friendship groups, having new friends (especially older or unknown ones), having a new phone or multiple phones, having new clothes or unexplained money, spending more time than usual online or taking calls, and becoming secretive.

Owen’s World wants to reach out to parents and guardians who have concerns about young people in their family and make sure they know about the support available to them.

Zoe hopes the campaign will make a difference.

She said: “Some days I don’t even want to get out of bed, but this gives me something to focus on.

“If I can make one kid think twice about taking a knife out, then my job’s done.”