POSTERS for residents to put up asking Halloween trick-or-treaters to stay away are now available.

People who are elderly, vulnerable or simply do not want to be disturbed by youngsters playing trick-or-treat, should put up a poster so it can be easily seen.

Clive Marlow, the chairman of Malvern Hills Neighbourhood Watch, said the posters were very successful when used for the first time last year.

"There seemed to be a real need," he said. "People who had them up in their windows came back to us and said the posters were generally very well respected and they weren't bothered."

A lady recovering from a hip replacement operation, who was unable to answer the door, and a man with Downs Syn-drome who had just moved to his own home were two people the posters helped last year.

Mr Marlow said older teenage trick-or-treaters, rather than youngsters, could make vulnerable people feel threatened.

"Neighbourhood Watch is not against trick-or-treating. It just wants people to be able to have the option to opt out if they want to," he added.

Police have sent letters to headteachers at local schools asking children children to respect residents' wishes if they see the posters on display.

To get hold of your poster visit www.thisisthemidlands.co.uk\halo-ween.pdf or call into the Malvern Gazette offices, Broads Bank.

Posters are also available from Malvern Police Station and from the Community Safety Office in the Council House, Avenue Road.