A NORTH Yorkshire town has set up an "umbrella" organisation to try and combat rural crime.

The Easingwold Local Area Policing Neighbourhood Watch Association has been created to work with existing crime-fighting groups, as well as encouraging new organisations to be set up.

The new association is to be launched on Monday with the help of a grant of £250 from the Hambleton Community Safety Partnership. The launch of the group comes after Hambleton District Council was awarded Beacon status for its work in tackling rural crime.

Group chairman Bill Wood said: "We will be able to share advice, information and experiences with existing groups, as well as new members.

"Neighbourhood Watches are invaluable - for crime prevention, police liaison and co-ordination.

"The police in this area value our work, and we believe the new organisation will further strengthen the good relationship we have with them.

"When I became involved with Neighbourhood Watch in the village of Crayke, there was a worryingly high crime rate for a small village. Our work has helped to reduce that significantly in the last few years.

"This can happen in all parishes with the help of local people, the police and our new group."

This year is the 20th anniversary of the Neighbourhood Watch movement across the UK, and the national Neighbourhood Watch week, which runs from June 15 to June 22, celebrates the progress made through the scheme.

Eight years ago, villagers at Crayke faced soaring crime levels and the problem of how to protect their peaceful way of life.

A spate of house burglaries and damage to cars meant that residents reached breaking point and decided to do something to halt the downward spiral.

They set up a Neighbourhood Watch programme in which ten co-ordinators were recruited, each with the responsibility for between ten and 15 houses.

The co-ordinators encouraged people to be more vigilant, not only looking after their own property, but also that of their friends and neighbours.

Exhibitions were organised to demonstrate a variety of crime-fighting equipment, from alarms to locks to metal window shutters.

Crime rates have fallen dramatically, and peace of mind has been restored, thanks to the actions of the group.

Updated: 11:52 Tuesday, April 16, 2002