SECURITY patrols around industrial estates will be launched by the Oswestry Business Improvement District (BID) from Thursday, after feedback from levy payers.

A recent poll by BID of its levy payers on the industrial estates indicated a strong support for nightly security patrols and has been welcomed as a positive and proactive step to enhance the security of business premises.

Following the survey, BID spoke to local security businesses and awarded the contract to Valley Security – which has completed a security review – for a trial period of three months starting on April 1.

Adele Nightingale, Oswestry BID manager, said she was pleased to announce the starting of patrols.

"It’s part of our ongoing commitment to the businesses to make Oswestry's trading environment safer and more accessible," she said.

"We see this as a further step in reducing crime in the area.

"The extension of the CCTV system in our town centre and onto the industrial estate has been very well received, and together with the nightly patrols, we hope this will form an effective deterrent and provide some reassurance to businesses and employees."

Oswestry BID has involved police in Oswestry in this initiative from the very start of the project, and believes this again shows what can be done when organisations work together to improve all aspects of our town.

Inspector Claire Greenaway, from Oswestry Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) said: "We are committed to supporting the BID in this initiative and welcome the support from Valley Security.’

For more information about Oswestry BID, head to www.oneoswestry.co.uk