CRIME reduction work in the Hambleton area of North Yorkshire has won the district authority an honour.

The council has been awarded Beacon status in recognition of its efforts and has now been recognised as a centre of excellence.

Officers and councillors will now be called upon to help spread their "best practice" to other authorities all over the country.

"It is a great honour for the council," said the leader of the authority, Councillor June Imeson.

"Our hard-working community safety team has forged close links with other agencies to make our crime fighting policies effective."

The Beacon system was set up by the Government three years ago to select authorities which could be looked upon as centres of excellence in various fields.

This year, 11 sectors were looked at, including crime reduction in rural areas, and Hambleton was one of only two councils to receive the award for that field.

"We had to demonstrate that we are working in partnership with the police and other bodies to implement effective programmes to prevent and reduce crime and to increase community safety," said local cabinet member John Morley.

"Tackling crime and the fear of crime is just as important in rural communities as in urban areas.

"They suffer the same types of crime as well as those specific to the countryside, and those crimes can affect the quality of life for people living there."