GORDON Brown has praised Epping Forest neighbourhood police team for an email chain created to warn farmers about crime.

Speaking at a crime conference in London, the Prime Minister said he now wants: "every area to consider using mobiles and email to give people instant advice on safety and any other crime or anti-social behaviour problem that worries them."

The Epping Forest initiative was set up by Crime Reduction Officer Tony Ellis, in response to increased farm crime across the district.

More than 70 farmser use the email chain to circulate information about rural crime and keep burglars at bay.