TIMED light switches are being handed out by police in a bid to thwart burglars this Christmas.

West Mercia Police have been given 2,000 timer switches to hand out to people who are most at risk.

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Edwards said: “Using figures from the past few years, we have been able to identify the most vulnerable communities within the area we police.”

Police will be handing out the switches over the next few weeks.

Timer switches are also available from most DIY stores for about £5.

For details, see westmercia.police.uk