AN innovative neighbourhood watch scheme has scooped a top award for helping to reduce the problem of bogus officials preying on the vulnerable.

Blackburn Crime Prevention team joined forces with North West Water to beat criminals posing as employees of major utilities - and came runners-up in the national Neighbourhood Watch Police Innovative Awards.

Now thanks to the success of the scheme in Blackburn, North West Water are to carry out it throughout the area it serves.

The crime fighting team will receive a certificate and £100 worth of security equipment which will be presented to a local Neighbourhood Watch programme later this month.

The Blackburn Community Crime Prevention Initiative was launched in August and included distributing 25,000 NWW stickers to homes in Neighbourhood Watch areas throughout the town.

The stickers warned home owners, especially the elderly, to check the credentials of callers. Customers also have the option of setting up passwords which only legitimate NWW representatives would know. Sergeant Alan Holt said: "The scheme has been very well accepted and has been very successful. The stickers have been in great demand and has reduced bogus caller offences but at the same time has risen greater awareness to this particular offence."

Paul Holt, NWW's water operation manager for East Lancashire said: "We are absolutely delighted that the scheme has been more successful than we imagined. It shows that Blackburn is leading the way in the fight against bogus officials and now we are to expand the programme throughout the region."

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