TARRINGTON will be the first village in Herefordshire to launch a new Neighbourhood Watch initiative, involving 'smartwater' marking kits, to deter thieves and intruders.

The village, on the Hereford Road, will be the county flagship for the new "We Don't Buy Crime" initiative, which will give a clear sign to would-be burglars and thieves that the community is being protected by the high-tech smartwater.

Writing in the latest village newsletter, the Tarrington Voice spokesman Richard Price said: "Thanks to the number of households that have signed up to our revived Neighbourhood Watch scheme, West Mercia Police have chosen Tarrington as the first village in Herefordshire to be their “We Don’t Buy Crime” flagship.

"This means that, exceptionally, the police will make available to all Neighbourhood Watch members in the village a free smartwater kit, together with notices to be placed in appropriate places round the village warning that the village is protected by smartwater."

Mr Price added: "For those who may not know, smartwater is an invisible fluid which can be placed on items of value and greatly increases chances of their recovery if stolen.

"Display of the smartwater labels and notices is also a huge deterrent to crime and experience elsewhere in the UK has shown that communities thus protected have substantially less crime issues than others."

West Mercia police officers will be coming to the Lady Emily Community Hall at 10.30 am on Saturday September 15 to distribute the smartwater kits to Tarrington's Neighbour Watch team and to provide guidance as to their use.