If you are little and lost...

THE fashion for wearing brightly coloured wristbands has been given an innovative twist to help lost youngsters.

Brightly coloured bands bearing a non-emergency police number and with room for family contact numbers have been distributed to children to help them if they are separated from parents or carers.

The bands are part of a scheme launched by Hertfordshire Police called If You Are Little and Lost.

The children have also been given a leaflet with useful advice and tips.

If You Are Little And Lost is the brainchild of police community support officer (PCSO) Nikki Williams and PC Duncan Askew who developed it using a funding initiative available to PCSOs if they have a new idea and need support.

PCSO Williams said: "The idea came about whilst I was having a discussion with my colleague Duncan.

"I had heard about the funding opportunity and we came up with the wristband idea.

"It seemed at the time all the children were wearing them and it was a craze the police hadn't made full use of."

PCSO Williams and PC Askew recently launched the scheme at Breachwood Green School and spoke to the children in assembly about the dangers of becoming lost and how the wristband can help.

Rosemarie Bethel, the school's headteacher, said: "We are delighted to be the first Hertfordshire school to be given the opportunity to wear these bands and have enjoyed working with Nikki and Duncan to launch the scheme.

"The wristbands are colourful, trendy and very appealing to children and will hopefully help to put children's and their parents' minds at ease."

PCSO Williams and PC Askew are hoping that with extra funding, the project will catch on county-wide in other schools, and also with brownie and beaver packs and youth groups.