A RALLYING call has been made to residents across Wyre Forest by organisers of a district-wide Neighbourhood Watch scheme which is going "from strength to strength".

A new committee was formed last summer after the resignation of the existing group, with the aim of "breathing new life" into Neighbourhood Watch and restructuring it into six areas.

Spokeswoman Sue Savidge - who is responsible for Wyre Forest East, covering Blakedown and Chaddesley Corbett - is keen on a "parochial" approach to fighting crime, having pioneered a system of mobile residents' patrols in Churchill and Blakedown.

And she is urging the 75 per cent of the district population who are not already involved to come forward.

"Most of them would like to be members," Mrs Savidge said.

"It only needs someone in a road prepared to act as a co-ordinator.

"Can you rise to the challenge? Do you have what it takes? Could you get involved?"

She added: "I am a granny and I have been a victim of crime, and it is schemes like Neighbourhood Watch that can help everyone."

Mrs Savidge says her Blakedown and Churchill "prototype" has helped reduce the drug problem in the two villages and also helped provide police with information leading to the arrest of burglars, car thieves, vandals and arsonists.

Wyre Forest West covers the Tenbury district, while there are also groups for Bewdley, Stourport and District and Kidderminster East and West.

Each has a police beat manager who works in partnership with his group's "executive link", the person who represents his or her area on the executive committee.

They also liase with members from other areas through e-mails and telephone calls to spread the word about cross-border activity.

Mrs Savidge said the committee is now entering its second stage and was seeking to enhance the scheme's profile and recruit new members.

She can be contacted by writing to Sue Savidge, Neighbourhood Watch, Kidderminster Police Station, Habberley Road, Kidderminster, DY11 6AN, or by calling 01562 701016.