A young woman who launched a campaign to halt the rise of knife and gun crime was presented with an award by leading Bristol peace campaigner Reverend Dawnecia Palmer.

Loretta Gordon, 21, of Lawrence Hill, set up STOP, which stands for Solve This Ongoing Problem, after a 16-year-old boy in London launched a similar initiative in the capital following the murder of his best friend.

She said: "The ongoing problem is with guns and knives. Growing up as a young person I had to struggle to survive.

"I have younger brothers and sisters and I want them to grow up and enjoy their childhood."

Miss Gordon goes into schools and colleges to talk to young people about the aftermath of gun and knife crime, how the victims and their families suffer.

She said: "I try to educate them to become better role models.

Miss Gordon, who has also won an Anne Frank award and been nominated for a Pride of Britain award, is planning to make a film to get across her message.

She was given a special award by the Peacemakers – The City of Bristol Prayer Patrol, which aim to convince people to turn their backs on crime and violence.

The prayer patrols were founded in 2003 by Reverend Palmer who hosted a showcase of the group's achievements and activities at the Malcolm X Centre in St Paul's. (July 25)

Prayer patrols have since been set up in Ledbury, Herefordshire, and Pill near Bristol and members of those groups were also presented with awards for their work.

Other recipients of awards for supporting the work of the prayer patrols included Tomoko Harris, 52, of Weston-super-Mare who launched the Bridge of Peace Project, Police Community Support Officer Clare Gard, Inspector Graham Fox, PC Chris Adams, St Paul's Unlimited, Bristol Evening Post, Dads Cabs, the Pierian Centre, Ujima Radio, East Central 1 Panel and community activist Katie Cooper.