Children issued with attack alarms

The alarms will give the children better protection

A signed Manchester United football is being auctioned to raise money to buy personal attack alarms for children in three Staffordshire villages.

Youngsters in the villages of Hixon, Great Haywood and Little Haywood will be issued with the alarms.

The woman behind the project, Joan Dunbavand Jones, says she wanted children to be safe on dark winter nights.

The money will come from the auction of the ball, which has been signed by the Manchester United 2002 team, including England captain David Beckham.

'Better protection'

Ms Dunbavand Jones told BBC Radio Stoke: "Shugborough Hall is quite near and very often people come through the village and stop their cars to ask the way.

"Children often stop to try and tell them so I think that there is a danger and it would be better if they had some protection."

Staffordshire police said the children should be taught how and when to use the alarms properly so they do not treat them as a toy.

The auction will take place on Thursday at Wintertons Auctioneers in Fradley Park, Lichfield.