Hallow residents will receive free SmartWater kits to help safeguard their valuables.

The initiative is being supported by Malvern Hills District Council (MHDC) and West Mercia Police.

A sign-up event is scheduled for Wednesday, October 23 at Hallow Village Hall, between 6pm and 8pm, where residents can get registration details for their kits.

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SmartWater is a crime prevention tool that uses an invisible, water-based liquid to mark items.

This assigns each item a unique code, allowing them to be traced back to their owner if stolen.

Launched in 2022, the scheme has already distributed more than 1,600 SmartWater kits to Kempsey residents.

Kempsey has since achieved SmartWater Village status, given when 80 per cent of homes in a village have signed up for SmartWater kits.

The scheme is part-funded by the council and the police and crime commissioner, John Campion.

Councillor Tom Wells, leader of the council, said: "We are really pleased to be able to roll out the SmartWater scheme to Hallow residents.

"It is important that we continue to work together with partnership agencies to help support crime prevention initiatives in our communities."

For more information about the SmartWater kits, residents can email communitysafety@malvernhills.gov.uk.