POLICE are offering a free tack-marking session to help horse owners protect their belongings.

North Yorkshire Police will be attending Mole Country Store in Thirsk on Thursday, December 15 between 5pm and 8.30pm, when they will be marking leatherwork items using their dotpeen machine.

The police force also has downloadable packs as part of its Horsewatch scheme to make it easier to reunite horse owners with lost or stolen property and secure convictions at court.

The 12-page pack is available to download from: www.northyorkshire.police.uk/horsewatch, as well as the dedicated NYP Horsewatch Facebook account.

Owners are encouraged to print out a pack, fill it in with details and photographs of horses, tack, horseboxes and other equipment and then keep it in a safe place.

In the eventuality something is lost or stolen, the completed pack can provide vital information to help police track it down.