Cutting back on crime

Thames Valley police are setting to work to reduce crime by trimming hedgerows in Oxfordshire.

A group of police officers and young people from Blackbird Leys, have joined forces to cut back overgrown trees and plants in the area.

They want to improve the appearance of the area and create a safer atmosphere for members of the community.

Sergeant Angela Murray, who is co-ordinating the project, said: "At the moment the overgrown trees and shrubs provide ideal hiding places for people up to no good, which in turn can prove quite intimidating for innocent people in the area.

"There is also a great deal of litter, some of it dangerous to younger members of the community, and we intend to clear this as well.

"We will be working with members of the community, many of them young people, to improve their environment and hope that this will instill a sense of ownership and pride in the project."