A group of elderly volunteers have won a national award for their role in helping to reduce distraction burglaries.

The Oadby and Wigston Police and Neighbourhood Action Group has set up 90 No Cold Calling zones in the borough.

Members have now received the Police Support Volunteer Team Award from the National Police Improvement Agency for their efforts to drive away sellers and criminals from their streets.

Since the zones were introduced more than two years ago, distraction burglaries in the borough have dropped 62 per cent.

Group chairman Joan Gray, of Upton Drive, said: "It was set up for vulnerable people worried about cold callers at their front door making them have their roof repaired, or something like that, when it probably wasn't needed.

"A lot of elderly people live in these streets and it was becoming a really big problem round here.

"Having an area which stops cold calling also means any bogus callers, or burglars are less likely to operate in the area.

"I feel very proud to be involved in this and to have won the award was fantastic."

For more information visit the Leicester Mercury website.