EMERGENCY services have joined forces to launch a new resource offering up-to-date information on crime and safety in Northallerton.

North Yorkshire Police and the county's Fire and Rescue Service will provide a “keeping safe community drop-in” service at Northallerton library every Friday as part of a three-month pilot.

The scheme, led by police support volunteers, will give residents the chance to get crime prevention advice, sign up to North Yorkshire Community Messaging service for crime and incident alerts in their area, meet their local PCSO and have their property security marked.

Representatives from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service will also be on hand to provide fire safety advice.

Natasha Almond, North Yorkshire Police’s citizens in policing coordinator manager, said: “This is a way of taking our services directly to the public to help them stay safe.

“People rarely call into our police station front counters for general safety and crime prevention advice, so by taking our services into the community, we can reach more people.”

Bernice Champion, the fire service’s community safety officer for the Hambleton area, added: “This is a great way to provide home fire safety advice to people who may not even be aware that we provide this service.

“By proactively engaging with the public in this way, we can help spread our safety messages and protect more people.”

The community drop-in will initially operate for three months between 10am and 2pm, with the first session on September 22 and the final date in the programme being November 17.

The Northallerton pilot follows a similar, successful scheme launched at Acomb Explore in York earlier this year.