Volunteer student crimebusters are hoping to go west in search of help from Canada's Mounties to boost Shipley's pioneering anti-crime partnership.

And the multi-agency Shipley Constituency Anti-Crime Partnership is calling on Bradford's business community for sponsorship to enable their proposed fact-finding mission to Vancouver to go ahead.

Last autumn anti-crime volunteers - all students from Shipley College - helped police give out crime prevention advice to the public during a Cop and Shop event in the town.

And in December the Telegraph & Argus revealed how the teenagers were joining police on the beat in the town centre during the run-up to Christmas as part of an initiative thought to be the first of its kind in the country.

Now it is hoped to send ten of them - along with four partnership members - to Vancouver, where volunteering with the police is firmly established, to observe the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and its volunteers at work.

It is hoped their visit - set up through contacts of Eccleshill's divisional commander Chief Superintendent Stuart Hyde - will result in anti-crime initiatives being launched in Shipley.

Partnership coordinator Louise Williams, said: "Volunteering in the police is a lot more advanced in Vancouver, where residents even staff some of the police stations, than it is in this country where it's still in its infancy.

"The students have already benefited greatly from their work with the anti-crime partnership and this visit would put all that work into context.

"We're hoping they'll come back with ideas for locally targeted initiatives which will lead to a reduction in crime.''

Miss Williams said on their return the students would work with partnership members - including police, Council and Shipley and Baildon Volunteer Bureau representatives - to draw up guidelines for police volunteering and an application for funding for an organiser to recruit more volunteers.

She said: "A lot of people want to get involved in anti-crime initiatives but can't give the commitment needed to become a Special Constable. Volunteering is a way to do that.''

Volunteer Melanie Smith, 19, of Cottingley, an 'A' level student at the college, said: "Going to Canada would give us a great chance to see how police volunteering works in another country and hopefully give us some good ideas to bring back here.''

The council's Shipley area panel has already agreed to put £1,500 towards the trip.

l Anyone interested in sponsoring the trip - set to cost about £9,000 - should contact Miss Williams on (01274) 757008.