A NEW campaign to tackle knife crime will be a “wonderful legacy” to a young father murdered in Oxford.

That’s the view of Blayne Ridgway’s family ahead of the first anniversary of his death tomorrow.

Last night the head of Oxford CID said it was time for young people in the city to understand the danger of knives.

At the start of next month, Thames Valley Police will hold a Knife Awareness Week , which will include talks about knife crime by ex-offenders, knife arch checks outside pubs and nightclubs, more officers on patrol late at night and theatre productions highlighting the anti-knife message.

Twenty-two-year-old Mr Ridgway, a father-of one, was stabbed outside the Que Pasa bar in New Road in the city centre on May 8 last year. His family, who will pay their respects at his grave in Iffley tomorrow, have welcomed the police campaign.

The latest figures show that knife crime in Oxford has dropped slightly over the past three years.

But Det Insp Simon Morton, of Oxford CID, warned that the most serious incidents were on the rise.

He said: “There have been no significant reductions, and that’s why we need to act.

“The most serious violent crime is rising in Oxford and we’re seeing knives being used in more and more of these.

“It’s disappointing that the anti-knife message has not got through to young people in the year since Blayne was murdered. It was a senseless murder that left a child without a father.”

Mr Ridgway, who grew up in the Donnington Bridge area of Oxford, was stabbed in the early hours and died shortly after arriving at the John Radcliffe Hospital, in Headington.

Last December Eze Eke, of Ridgefield Road, Oxford, was jailed at Oxford Crown Court for a minimum of 15 years for the murder.

Mr Ridgway’s sister, Karis Daniels, 25, of Wood Farm, welcomed the police campaign.

She said: “It would be a wonderful legacy for Blayne.

“His death devastated our family and it is something you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy.

“More does need to be done to stop any more young people being killed. Knife crime is a real problem.

“If anything good could come from his death, it would be that people stopped carrying knives and made Oxford safer.”

Police figures show there were 133 knife crimes in Oxford in 2010-11, down from 141 the previous year and 150 in 2008-9.

But the most serious violent incidents – including wounding, endangering life and grievous bodily harm without intent – jumped by 25 per cent between 2009-10 and 2010-11, from 85 to 107 offences. Murder and reports of serious sexual offences also increased.

On Sunday, two masked men robbed a man at knifepoint in Blackbird Leys, stealing his iPhone.

He was walking from a bus stop in Field Avenue towards Harebell Road at about 9pm when he was threatened and robbed.

Mr Morton said that the week of action next month would also see police operations targeting young people who were carrying knives.

He added: “The majority of these crimes involve a kitchen knife or blades which are accessible. It’s very rare that we come across a knife which has been designed specifically to inflict harm.

“The fact of the matter is that if you carry a knife, you’re more likely to be stabbed by it.”