A SCHEME helping vulnerable people feel safer when walking the streets of Worcester has launched in the city.

The Safe Place Scheme was officially launched by the city's deputy mayor councillor Roger Knight on Thursday at the Guildhall.

It aims to give the elderly and people with a disability, illness or learning difficulty or who just feel in danger when out alone, a range of safe places where they can go to for help if they feel bullied, abused or harassed and has been used successfully in Kidderminster.

So far in the city Co-operative stores have signed up to the scheme and it's hoped more retailers and cafes will start to come forward.

Anywhere that is a designated safe place will display a logo in the window or other prominent place and staff will be ready to help and assist anyone who goes to them for help, creating a temporary safe haven.

Safe Place cards can also be carried by individuals with useful contact numbers and can then be presented at a safe place.

Jude Langton, community safety manager at Worcester City Council, said: "The Safe Place initiative is great for people who find themselves in need of help whilst out in Worcester. Thanks to Police and Crime Commissioner funding, we are now able to expand the scheme across Worcestershire. This is great as each scheme will be run on exactly the same lines, helping more people to feel safe whichever town they choose to visit in the county."

The scheme was set up by Worcester City Council's Community Safety team, North Worcestershire Community safety Partnership West Mercia Police and Our Way Self Advocacy and is set to be rolled out in Malvern, Droitwich, Redditch and Bromsgrove later this year.