People who live in rural areas of Dumbarton and the Vale of Leven are being urged to join Rural Watch to prevent crime and make their communities safer.

West Dunbartonshire Police posted an appeal on their facebook page recently asking people to join the initiative, which was set up a few years ago.

Rural Watch is an extension of the Neighbourhood Watch concept which is designed specifically for the rural communities of Scotland. It aims to bring all the benefits of Neighbourhood Watch to rural communities irrespective of location, size or demographics.

The Rural Watch website explains: “Scotland is renowned for its great natural beauty and the rural communities of Scotland are safe places in which to live, work and visit.

“However, the nature of the environment and way of life means there are some crime prevention tips particularly relevant to rural life such as protecting livestock, securing farm machinery, theft from fuel tanks, securing tools and horse tack and protecting Scotland’s wildlife.”

Rural Watch Scotland aims to reduce crime and the fear of crime by providing the right information, to the right people, at the right time.

The scheme encourages people to think about safety and security for themselves, their neighbours and their community, improve community cohesion and well-being by supporting communities to develop 'their watch, their way' and work in partnership with national and local service providers to develop more resilient communities that are better prepared against threats, intentional or unintentional, such as crime or extreme weather.

The website adds: “The experience of Neighbourhood Watch throughout Scotland and elsewhere across the world is that members of Rural Watch Scotland will be less likely than non-members in the rural community to be a victim of crime.

“By joining the Rural Watch Scotland scheme you can receive alerts and advice by phone, text or email.

“By keeping you informed about crime and other threats in your area, we help prevent crime, keep your community and its residents safe, and your response to these alerts can help us catch criminals or be better prepared to deal with other threats to your community.”

Sign up to the Rural Watch Scotland scheme at ruralwatchscotland.co.uk

or visit neighbourhoodwatchscotland.co.uk for more information.