CRIME fighters on Exmoor have won a top award for their innovative work.

Avon and Somerset Rural Mounted Community Watch collected a Country Crime Fighter Award from rural insurer NFU Mutual, whose awards celebrate and reward examples of crime prevention in Britain's countryside.

The scheme's unique approach to the reduction of crime across a 350 square mile patch of rural Exmoor beat competition from hundreds of entries across the UK as 'One to Watch'.

The mounted watch involves more than 30 riders who patrol local lanes, bridleways and moors on the look out for suspicious activity, and even position themselves on busy rural roads in an attempt to reduce speeding.

The judges, who included TV personality Adam Henson and NFU Mutual chairman Richard Percy, were impressed with the way members of the watch work with their local police force, reporting any suspicious activity to PC Nick Wood, the Dulverton-based officer at the helm of the pioneering scheme.

PC Wood said: "They are the eyes and ears of the community and have a real visible presence in the area.

"What's more, as volunteers they give their time for free to ensure the safety of local residents and their land."

Mr Percy said: "As the mutual rural insurer, we understand the needs of those who live and work in the countryside. In all too many cases, crime in rural areas has a devastating impact on the victims and the wider community too.

"What the rural mounted watch has achieved is fantastic. They're a prime example of real commitment to the reduction of countryside crime and we hope that their actions will inspire others to get involved in similar schemes within their own communities."

And watch member Mary-Anne Ghazala said: "It's great that we have been recognised for all our hard work, but most of all we hope that this will encourage others to take a proactive role in the fight against rural crime and think of even more innovative ways to drive down rural crime."