By Jenny Barwise

Last updated at 13:26, Monday, 10 December 2012

One hundred alarms will be given out to women in a bid to keep them safe during nights out.

Inspector Craig Lory

Police officers will be patrolling the streets of Workington in the run-up to Christmas and handing out the heart-shaped alarms to potential victims of crime.

Inspector Craig Lory said that the campaign aims to remind people to keep safe during the party season.

The alarms will be handed out a week on Friday – the notorious so-called Black Eye Friday – which is a popular date for work parties.

Inspector Lory said he hopes that by giving the alarms out in the early afternoon it will reduce crime happening later in the evening.

“The key to the campaign is for people to think about their personal safety and this is a way we can highlight it,” he added.

“We’ll be giving out these key rings to encourage people to think about their personal safety.

“Our target group is females and we will be handing out 100 of the alarms in the early evening, around 4pm, to raise awareness.”

Inspector Lory said that police patrols will be increased around Allerdale’s “hot spot areas” where trouble may be most likely to flare during the festive party season.

The force is promoting its “Keys, Money, Phone, Plans to get home?” campaign which is aimed at reminding young women, students and party goers to think ahead and plan their safe journey home.

Credit card sized handouts with key safety advice, as well as a space to write emergency contacts numbers in case people lose their mobile phones, will also be handed out.

First published at 11:37, Monday, 10 December 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk