THE latest addition to a major crime fighting partnership has been established - and Hambleton residents are being urged to throw their weight behind it.

A new forum for co-ordinators of Neighbourhood Watch schemes is now up and running, giving communities further support in their efforts to help police in the fight against crime.

The Hambleton Watches Forum was set up to provide a meeting ground for the district's 500 Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinators, as well as the rural Vale Watch, Farm Watch and mobile watch schemes.

It is the latest initiative from the Hambleton Community Safety Partnership, formed last year by local councils, voluntary organisations and the emergency services.

Members are urging local residents to take up an offer of free property marking kits at police stations in five market towns.

North Yorkshire Police community safety officer, Simon Caukwell, said the forum was a welcome addition to the neighbourhood watch service.

He said: "Watches are an important crime fighting tool in the district. By joining forces as a forum, problems can be solved together and more support given to co-ordinators in order to further improve this valuable service."

He said five property marking kits had now been bought by the partnership and one would be available at police stations in Easingwold, Thirsk, Stokesley, Bedale and Northallerton.

They can be borrowed free of charge by Neighbourhood Watch members to postcode belongings.

PC Caukwell added: "We hope these kits will help to increase the amount of personal property that is postcoded.

"When crimes are solved and property recovered it is often very difficult to return it to its rightful owner. Marking solves that problem."

Neighbourhood Watch schemes currently cover around 30 per cent of the Hambleton district, taking in entire villages, roads and business areas.

Anyone wanting to start a new watch scheme should contact PC Caukwell on (01609) 767196.

The unveiling of the new service comes just weeks after the partnership announced that a leading team of mediators had been appointed to tackle various disputes.