A charity set up following the death of a victim of knife crime launched its education programme in Watford last week.

Billy's Wish is a registered charity set up by the family of Billy Dove who was murdered in Hemel Hempstead in 2011.

Mr Dove, 21, became a victim of knife crime for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He and his friends were trying to get away from a gang who had gone out looking to cause trouble.

The programme created by the charity, which is being rolled out across schools in Hertfordshire following the success in Dacorum last year, offers age specific films tackling the dangers of knife crime. There are three films, aimed at Year 6s, Year 7s and Year 8s.

Head teacher of Kingsway Junior School Jenny Sherry was impressed after watching the Year 6 film and offered to host the launch at Kingsway School. Head teachers from across Watford, Three Rivers and Hertsmere attended the event, as well as Richard Harrington MP and Mayor Dorothy Thornhill.

Jan Maddern, Charity Director of Billy's Wish, said: "Our Education Programme is specifically designed to catch children before they would be likely to seriously consider carrying a knife, so it is aimed at pupils aged ten to 14.

"Feedback from Hemel Hempstead schools who have taught the programme has been overwhelming. From our point of view, if our work saves one young person's life it will have been worth the years of work we have put into the project.

"Our aim is to roll the programme our across Hertfordshire as quickly as possible, and we will be holding a launch in Ware sometime in March."