PEOPLE living in Mirfield are being provided with light timers to deter burglars.

The timers are available free from the library, cash office and police station in Mirfield. They are restricted to one per household.

Kirklees Council's Mirfield area committee decided to buy the light timer switches to help prevent crimes.

Clr Kath Taylor, who is responsible for community safety, said: "I welcome this initiative.

"Statistics show that at this time of year late afternoon seems to be the time when most burglaries occur, after it has fallen dark and before people return home from work or school.

"One of the easiest and cheapest deterrents is to have a timer attached to lights which automatically switches on at the specified time.

"Anything that can be done to deter burglars and raise public awareness can only be good for Mirfield."

Mr John Ellis, police domestic burglary reduction officer, said: "The police have distributed 250 timers in Mirfield as part of the `lights out - burglars in' campaign.

"The area committee is supporting the initiative by making additional timers available and helping to spread the message."

He said: "Historically, domestic burglaries have risen in the winter months as the darker evenings return.

"Many of these burglaries occur from late afternoon onwards when people haven't returned from work.

"Or maybe they have gone out for the evening.

"If the householders haven't taken the precaution of switching lights on, then it is obvious to passers by that the house is unoccupied and a prime target for any would-be burglar," said Mr Ellis.