MOVES are under way to set up a town-wide Neighbourhood Watch scheme in the Ferryhill area.

The scheme, which will also include Chilton, West Cornforth and Bishop Middleham, follows the successful introduction of a similar town-wide group in Sedgefield village.

The initiative is being led by the Sedgefield Burglary Action Group, part of the Sedgefield Borough Community Safety Partnership.

The partnership includes representatives from the police, Sedgefield Borough Council, Three Rivers Housing, Disc, Victim Support and the youth offending team.

Crime prevention officer PC Neil Langthorne said a partnership between the various groups, which will continue to operate in their own areas, would mean a stronger Neighbourhood Watch which could achieve better results.

He said: "The Sedgefield Borough Community Safety Partnership identified that Ferryhill is a hotspot area, and Dean Bank is a hotspot area within the town.

"So what we have done is started by developing Neighbourhood Watch in Dean Bank, but also saying that we want to extend this to a town-wide group."

The group is still in its early stages, but is already developing its own constitution.

One of the difficulties in recruiting people in Dean Bank has been the fear of recriminations if they get involved in the group.

But several residents have signed up to the Crime Ring system, where they can be kept informed of criminal activity on the estate.

PC Langthorne said: "We keep people informed of both good news and bad news, and the initial take-up in Dean Bank is ten per cent of all householders. We are aiming to step that up in Dean Bank."

Sarah Norman, the Sedgefield borough's Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator, said the intention was to introduce similar schemes throughout the borough.

"I'm hoping we'll be able to take the experience we gain from Sedgefield and Ferryhill over to Aycliffe," she said.