Ilkley shopkeepers are hitting back at crime by setting up their own scheme in conjunction with the police.

Eleven town-centre retailers are launching Ilkley Shopwatch, a linked paging system enabling information about criminals to be passed quickly among members and police.

Letters were sent to all 130 shops in Ilkley by crime-prevention officer Adrian Foyston, pictured left with David Giddings, who runs the town's Opulent Design.

PC Foyston said said: "Once the benefits become clear, we hope more Ilkley retailers will come on board.

"Many of the criminals who operate in Ilkley travel from Leeds and Bradford for rich pickings.

"Each participating trader will have a pager which they have bought themselves and should a suspicious incident occur, a message can be sent to all of them in no time at all."

Mr Giddings said: "A clear message will go out to all members of Shopwatch at the same time. It is cheap and effective and will benefit the whole community."

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