A CHILDREN’S author is warning youngsters about the dangers of child criminal exploitation and knife crime via a short story which launches next month.

Blackburn born children’s author Christina Gabbitas, founder of the Blackburn Children’s Literature Festival and honorary member of the NSPCC Council, is working in partnership with a police and crime commissioner to engage children on the topic of knife crime and county lines.

Ms Gabbitas, who helped raise the profile of child protection with her award-winning Share Some Secrets book and resource, was invited to the Association of PCC conference in Lancashire with her latest story No More Knives available in their child exploitation toolkit.

No More Knives is about a group of teenagers who meet, get groomed into county lines and suffer the effects of knife crime.

Ms Gabbitas said: “I was contacted by Keith Hunter’s office of Police and Crime Commissioner of Humberside as they had seen the positive impact that I had made with the Share Some Secrets publication that is now recognised globally.

"I have staged a lot of research on the topic and met with an ex-convict and gang crime member, now a pastor and reformed character, Mo Timbo who was involved with county lines and knife crime. Mo witnessed his friend losing his life and Mo was stabbed several times being left for dead. All this was over an invasion of their gang territory and a mobile phone.

“I’m a big believer in educating children from the most vulnerable ages, as promoting prevention is always the best policy.”

The story is in the form of comic strip format and has been illustrated by Evie Hurst, from Rishton, who is attending Manchester School of Art. The story is to be published digitally and printed versions launched in February.

All proceeds will be donated to the Children’s Literature Festival Charity that gives children from all backgrounds, cultures and abilities a better opportunity.

Meanwhile, Ms Gabbitas also runs a national conference Reach Out, Speak Out that is being held in Leeds on March 12.

Last year Lancashire Police received 1,649 reports of child sexual abuse, while on the force’s Engage Team arrested a takeaway worker in Nelson on suspicion of sexually assaulting a child. That was as part of an investigation into child grooming.

For more information about Ms Gabbitas’s work call 0785 2804999 or email info@christinagabbitas.com