A CRIME fighting initiative has been set up in a bid to deter would-be thieves and improve security at allotments.

The Newton Aycliffe neighbourhood policing team and Great Aycliffe Town Council joined forces to launch an Allotment Watch scheme in the town.

It will cover all five of the council’s allotment sites across Newton Aycliffe and Aycliffe Village and also take in Middridge.

Police officers and the council will work with gardeners to improve security and raise awareness as allotments can be seen as an easily target for criminals.

Under the scheme a colour coding system is used to give each site a unique colour which low value items will be painted with, if an item is recovered by police they can identify what site it belongs to and return it to the owner.

Higher value items will be forensically marked with the traceable Smartwater security marking fluid which will also be registered to each individual site.

At the launch at the St Oswald’s Allotment Site, Hylton Close, on Saturday, PCSO Mike Hutchinson urged gardeners and residents near allotments to support the initiative.

He said: “If anyone has any questions regarding the scheme or about the security of their allotments in Aycliffe they can get in touch with myself via 101 or speak to Great Aycliffe Town Council on 01325-300700.”