FARMERS and people living in rural areas are being asked to become extra pairs of eyes for North Yorkshire Police.

There are currently 31 members of the scheme, which has been called Country Watch, and police officers are hoping to encourage more to join as the scheme expands.

Country Watch members have been involved in patrolling local areas in a joint operation with police, looking out for any suspicious activity and providing visibility to help deter potential offenders.

Police say the scheme is evolving and now incorporates an updated version of the Ringmaster service – a two-way communication link between members and the police, warning of any suspicious activity.

The service has now been extended to include instant text messages to inform Country Watch members of crime and policing issues in their areas.

Sgt Simon Williamson is keen to expand the initiative and is urging more people to get involved.

He said: “Thanks to the hard work and commitment of the rural community, working in partnership with North Yorkshire Police, Country Watch has already brought numerous rural criminals to justice, and provides a valuable source of information.”

Further plans for expansion include joining forces with Neighbourhood Watch schemes in order to cover rural villages and an upgrade of the text messaging system.

Keith Snowball, Country Watch co-ordinator for the Easingwold area, is actively involved in the rural patrols and wants more people to support Country Watch.

He said: “The scheme is not just for farmers, rural dwellers can join up too. We also need to get people into the habit of calling things in. It is a big area to cover but our help can make a big difference to the police.

“People who live in the countryside know what is the norm and if they see any suspicious vehicles or people then they should be reporting it. We need to be proactive in terms of providing the police with intelligence.”

Anyone interested in signing up to Country Watch or obtaining Country Watch signs, can call into their local police station or phone 0845 6060247 and ask for PC Mark Atkinson of the Easingwold Safer Neighbourhood Team.