FARMERS' leaders in Ryedale are backing plans to fight back against the spectre of rural crime.

Group secretary of Malton NFU, Robert Hicks, said he was keen to take an active part in plans for a Countryside Watch scheme for the whole of the area.

Proposals for the scheme have been put forward following a rural crime seminar in December, organised by Inspector Neil Burnett, of Malton police.

The seminar was called to gauge local feelings, especially about violent poaching gangs reported to be terrorising rural communities.

This was instigated by an incident in which two farmers had their vehicles systematically wrecked when they challenged poachers at Flaxton, near York.

The Countryside Watch would bring together existing watch schemes, and is based on a similar one set up in Filey a year ago, which has seen the number of poaching-related incidents reduced from three-a-night to two-a-week.

Mr Hicks said there had been a spate of thefts of four-wheel drive vehicles in the area, which the group found "alarming".

He recently held talks with Insp Burnett over future plans for the scheme.

"It is affecting members and we certainly want to be involved in measures to reduce the amount of crime that's happening in Ryedale," said Mr Hicks.

He added that a management group would be set up for the scheme, which would include the Ryedale Crime Prevention Panel and other local organisations.

He said there was an existing computer system which allowed people to notify each other of any suspicious incidents or people in an area. They would write to NFU members with registration forms for them to be put on to the computer if they wished to join the scheme.

They would also provide banners advertising the scheme to be placed at farm entrances and other places where rural thieves may strike, such as stables.

PC Ian Aconley, who works closely with rural communities, has voiced concerns in the past about poaching-related incidents which, he says, leaves farmers "terrified to speak up".

He backed the scheme, saying it would be more successful in reducing the number of incidents.

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