BRIDGWATER and West Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger wants the public to help counter rising rural crime.

He says families in country areas can act as the eyes and ears of the police.

Mr Liddell-Grainger was speaking after meeting Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Shelford.

He said the meeting helped underline how police resources are being stretched dealing with rising thefts of tractors, trailers, machinery and equipment from farms and rural homes.

Lately there has been a surge in thefts involving catalytic converters.

Mr Liddell-Grainger said: "The most valuable assistance rural families can offer to the police is to report suspicious activity of any kind. As experience has shown even people who appear to be innocently flying drones could in fact be criminals using them to spot potential targets on and around farms.

“Even the simple action of noting the registration number of a suspicious vehicle can lead police straight to an offender: the more information people can pass to the police the greater chance there is of making life difficult for criminals and of starting to reduce the rural crime figures.”