A NEW scheme is encouraging dog walkers to report suspicious activity.

Dog Watch has been launched in the New Forest and could be rolled out across Hampshire in 2020.

The scheme encourages dog walkers to be proactive and vigilant including reporting any suspicious activity or vehicles, graffiti and vandalism, fly-tipping, hare coursing and livestock worrying to the police or appropriate agency.

Inspector Korine Bishop, from Hampshire Constabulary’s Country Watch team, said: “We are pleased to introduce this new scheme to the New Forest.

“Dog walkers are the first people out in the mornings and the last ones out at night, so they are often in a position to notice anything suspicious.

“The scheme is not asking for members to intervene, but just to report anything that does not look right to the relevant authority.

“This is an excellent opportunity to develop a closer relationship with the dog walking community around the Forest so, together with our partners, we can make our neighbourhoods safer.”

To join the scheme register on the Hampshire Alert messaging system hampshirealert.co.uk and select the Dog Watch group.