Steps are being taken to make Otley one of the first ‘dementia friendly’ towns in the country.

The Town Council is planning to conduct its own training, and organise free instruction for local shops and businesses, in a bid to increase awareness of the wide-ranging condition and how to help those suffering from it.

The move follows the launch of a major campaign last week by the Dementia Action Alliance, which hopes to make Leeds the first dementia friendly city in the UK.

Town councillor Carl Morris (Lab, Manor) said: “We are proposing to start making the town council more sensitive to the challenges that people with dementia face. But we’d also like to help shops and businesses train their staff in dementia awareness.

“It would make a real difference to the lives of people with dementia.”