Join in and help fight crime

PC Tracey Finn, the town's Community Beat Manager, said they wanted residents to look out for each other, and help themselves and the police to cut crime and juvenile nuisance.

The town already has two groups set up in Rhyddings and the White Ash Estate and the police are talking to residents in three other areas.

Although the police said it was too early to see any actual drop in the levels of crime in these areas, Rhyddings, the longest running, has only been going for a year, the groups operating have made a difference to people's lives.

Residents in Rhyddings are in the process of having a mobile CCTV system installed and the White Ash Estate have just heard that the council will improve their street lighting so making the area safer.

Ron Pickup, 59, of Fielding Lane, is the co-ordinator for Rhyddings Neighbourhood Watch. The group formed in March last year and consists of 50 homes. Ron said they joined together because of problems with teenagers.

"A lot of the residents were concerned about the amount of nuisance levels of crime and we decided we needed to do something about it."

Barry Barnes, lives on the White Ash Estate and is the area's co-ordinator, he said that after their first meeting in January they received the good news that the council would be improving the lighting on the estate with money coming from the £2million Major Repair Allowance budget.

"It was really good news , they said they would carry out the work in May or June, it will make the streets much safer. There's about 29 bungalows here and we're planning to join with the 30 houses on Whiteash Lane."

PC Tracy Finn, Community Beat Manager, started in her role in July last year. She works with schools, youth groups and neighbourhood watch groups. She said her eventual aim was to cover the town with these watch groups.

"They're really good because they mean people can band together to help themselves and the police to cut crime and juvenile nuisance."