YOUNGSTERS are helping elderly relatives protect themselves against bogus callers as part of a region-wide crackdown on doorstep conmen.

Thousands of “kids’ cards”

bearing crime prevention advice are being given to year 6 pupils at North-East schools.

The front cover of each card is blank so youngsters can personalise them by designing their own pictures, before presenting them to an elderly relative or friend.

They were funded by CE Electric UK, Northern Gas Utilities and Northumbrian Water.

The scheme was launched yesterday at the Raich Carter Centre, in Sunderland, under the umbrella of Strongbow, the regional operation to beat conmen, headed by Durham, Cleveland and Northumbria police forces and Northumbrian Water.

Durham PC Ingrid Wolfe, Strongbow’s regional co-ordinator, said: “Bogus callers often pose as staff from utility companies and target the elderly who tend to be more trusting. These people turn up on doorsteps, dupe their way into people’s homes and steal from their victims.

“We hope the kids’ cards scheme will get generations of the same family talking to each other.

“When the children give them to an elderly relative, it will hopefully spark discussion and raise awareness of the risks posed by bogus callers.”

Northumbrian Water spokeswoman Cara Hall said: “More than 50 per cent of bogus callers pretend to be from a water company so our partnership with Operation Strongbow to help raise awareness about and reduce this callous crime is vital.

“The children’s card is a fun and creative way of getting serious messages to all age groups, and we encourage our customers to listen to our and the police’s advice.”

Linda McAloon, the Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator whose idea the cards were, said: “We hope that because the children have drawn their own pictures on the cards, grandparents and other elderly relatives will keep them on display.

“If they do, they will have on hand both crime prevention advice and useful telephone numbers for not only the police but also utility companies and other agencies.”

Pupils from Sacred Heart Primary School in Hartlepool, Pelton Community Primary, near Chester-le-Street, and Castletown Primary, in Sunderland, attended the event and chatted to pensioners attending fitness classes there.

■ The Northern Echo launched its Doorstoppers campaign in 2003 to crack down on bogus door-to-door callers.