A SUCCESSFUL rural crime initiative in the North-West is likely to be rolled out in North Yorkshire.

The scheme involves training police in how to spot and handle suspected stolen livestock and farmers who are willing to help them at scenes if required.

Local auction marts act as holding centres where the stock can be kept while investigations are carried out, and police crime tags are applied, which prevents them from being sold or moved until enquiries are over.

The NFU Mutual has been so impressed with the scheme's impact in Lancashire that it is sponsoring the initiative elsewhere in the UK.

Its representatives have met with farmers, police, councillors and the Food Standards Agency at Tennants, in Leyburn, with a view to setting up a North Yorkshire scheme.

It would cover an area including Leyburn, Northallerton, Stokesley, Barnard Castle and Skipton with a future plan to roll it out across the North-East.

Chief Inspector Nick Hunter, North Yorkshire Police lead for rural crime, said: "Partnership working is the key to tackling rural crime and this scheme shows how police, communities and other rural stakeholders can work together to prevent and detect livestock theft.

"Finding suitable lairage for stolen livestock in particular has always been a problem, so the creation of a lairage network is a real boost. We look forward to working with farmers, NFU Mutual and the NFU as we further develop this scheme across the region."

Tim Price, rural affairs specialist at NFU Mutual, said: "This scheme is already proving to be an effective deterrent to would-be thieves in rural Lancashire. Our latest claims figures do seem to indicate that we are turning the tide on livestock theft, and schemes like this one are key to this success.

"We are now proud to be working with this scheme as it moves forward and seeks to roll-out nationally. Dynamic partnerships like this one, which put the community at their core, are an invaluable tool in the fight against rural crime."

The Mutual's crime figures for livestock thefts in the East region, which includes Yorkshire, increased from about £70,000 in 2013 to nearly £130,000 in 2014.