Oh Yez! Kidderminster town crier Jim Pearman is hoping his crime prevention messages are ringing out loud and clear.

For Jim has joined forces with West Mercia Police to take their message onto the streets in a bid to spread some timely advice as part of their festive crackdown on crime, codenamed Operation Christmas Presence.

Dressed in the traditional town crier’s outfit, Jim aims to be out and about around the town centre in the run up to Christmas warning shoppers in a time-honoured way about personal safety and how to avoid bag and purse thieves. Police officers and Community Support Officers are also carrying the safety message and handing out purse alarms to shoppers to enable them to attach them to their handbags.

Wyre Forest District Commander Chief Inspector Jim Baker said the idea of using the town crier was believed to be a first for north Worcestershire.

He said: “We send out crime prevention messages to people in the Wyre Forest district using a variety of methods including talking signs installed at beauty spots.

“Now we are going back to basics with a talking head in the form of the town crier.”