POLICE in West Mercia and Warwickshire are pooling their resources with the West Midlands and Staffordshire forces to extend a crime-busting telephone hotline that has been responsible for the arrest and charge of more than 1,000 people during the last two years.

Using new technology, they are extending the number of hours that the freephone Crimestoppers number 0800 555 111 is staffed by trained professionals.

Crimestoppers, run by national charity The Crimestoppers Trust, allows people to pass information about crimes or criminals to the police without being asked for their names, yet still be eligible for a cash reward.

In the last two years across the four forces, five people have been arrested and charged with murder or attempted murder, 125 for robbery and assault and 395 for drugs offences following calls to the line.

New arrangements launched on Monday will allow Crimestoppers staff in each of the four force areas to take details of vital information on behalf of all forces between 8am and 10pm weekdays and 8am and 4pm weekends.

Assistant Chief Constable Derek Cake, of Warwickshire Police, said new regional working arrangements would provide a more effective and efficient service and allow more crimes to be detected.

"Crimestoppers is the only charity helping the police to solve crimes and the value of calls is now well recognised," he said. "People calling Crimestoppers can know that they have passed on vital information that may help to detect a crime or prevent someone else from becoming a victim."

DC Steve Hill, West Mercia Crimestoppers co-ordinator, explained: "Although the criminal justice system and the courts rely on people coming forward to give evidence, sometimes only the absolute guarantee of anonymity is sufficient incentive for people. It is better we have the information anonymously than not at all and Crimestoppers offers that absolute security."

A regional advertising campaign was launched on Monday and posters will remind people about Crimestoppers