A pioneering anti-crime squad is working to establish a 'burglar-free zone' across the east of Bradford.

Households throughout the Newlands Single Regeneration Budget area are being offered free security upgrades such as strengthened locks, window bolts, spy-holes and door-chains.

The scheme - the first of its kind in Britain - aims to slash the number of break-ins and reduce the fear of crime within communities.

Police-supported SPEED charity (Securing Property Effectively Economically and Daily), which operates from Eccleshill police station, was founded in 1999 as a rapid response repair service for households which had been burgled.

SPEED project manager John Waldron, pictured with one of the locks being used, said statistics showed that in 16 per cent of previous burglary cases, intruders returned shortly afterwards to break in again.

But of the 1,000 burgled homes which received SPEED security upgrades, only 0.45 per cent suffered a repeat break-in.

Mr Waldron said: "And in these cases, the intruders either entered through an unlocked door or smashed a window - neither of which we could have prevented."

He said that since its launch in the Eccleshill area, the SPEED scheme had expanded across Bradford and now also acts as a preventative measure.

"People saw the results and thought 'Why not make the improvements before people were burgled to prevent it happening in the first place?'," said Mr Waldron.

Since then SPEED teams have 'target hardened' - or beefed up - security at around 5,000 households across Bradford.

Mr Waldron said: "We have had so many letters of thanks from people we visited. Feeling safe in their homes can have a massive positive impact on people's lives."

The group is funded through grants, donations and fees for private work it carries out.

"At the moment we are having a big purge in the Newlands SRB area and people living there are able to have their homes target hardened for free."

He said that teams would be calling at homes in the area - which stretches from Thornbury to Thorpe Edge - to offer the free service. "But people can simply ring to find out whether they fall within the area and qualify." The number is (01274) 376028.

He said residents outside the SRB zone could still pay a small fee, usually around £25, to have their homes target hardened.

"We aim to make the Newlands area a no-go zone for burglars," said Mr Waldron.