POOLE is celebrating the success of its town centre street wardens scheme, now in its third year.

Designed to help shoppers, support local business and deter crime, Poole’s Street Wardens provide help on day-to-day issues ranging from public order to theft, lost children or first aid.

The patrolling wardens are a reassuring presence and source of local information as well as a deterrent to criminals.

The Poole Town Centre Partnership initiative provided by Storewatch has helped reduce the number of incidents in the town, particularly public order offences, which have more than halved since 2010.

Hannah Mayo, safer business scheme co-ordinator said: “The friendly highly visible wardens are there to help members of the public with information and have made a real impact on the feel of the town for locals and visitors.”

Jonathan Sibbett, chairman of Poole Town Centre Partnership said: “With direct contact with retailers involved in the Safer Business Scheme as well as the police, Poole’s street wardens are a deterrent for opportunistic shop lifters and a welcome presence for the thousands of people who visit Poole High Street every day.

“We are delighted that they will be on hand in the coming year and providing support for businesses and shoppers in the town centre.”

In addition the wardens have been responsible for reuniting lost children with their families, helping visitors with directions and assisting police by deterring cyclists riding along the pedestrian parts of the High Street.