RESIDENTS across the Malvern Hills are being urged to make sure their sheds and outbuildings are secure in the run-up to Christmas.

Police have issued a range of tips that householders can use to make sure their sheds are as safe as their houses.

Sergeant Alex Denny of Malvern police said: "At this time of year, people may have put their Christmas presents in their sheds for hide them from the children.

"But they could be at risk of being stolen, because people who spend lots of money making sure their houses have the best alarm systems, security lights etc, often forget to take the same precautions with their sheds and outbuildings.

"We have had a report of a shed broken into in the village of Clifton on Teme, This was reported on the morning of the 18th, however it could have happened at any time over the last seven days. On this occasion no items were stolen, however damage was caused to gain access to the door and the lock which will cause a financial loss to the owner."

Among the tips police are offering is to make sure you are as diligent about locking the shed's doors and windows as the main house.

Research shows that thieves often take tools such as ladders and spades, from a garage or shed, to help them break into a house, so keep them locked away.

Try to site your shed within view of the house and ensure there is adequate lighting. Consider installing an alarm.

Visibly mark all removable items with your postcode and house number, and register property at immobilise.com or bikeregister.com.

Ensure the shed is in a good state of repair and fit a good-quality padlock.

Ensure the hasp is bolted through the shed and into a steel plate. Secure up-and-over garage

doors with padlocks through the inside runners, or fit a padlock, with hasp and staple, to either

side of the door.

Replace ordinary screws on outbuilding doors with non-return screws or coach bolts. Glue, smeared over the heads of screws, may stop the thief from unscrewing them.

Make a note of make, model and serial number of tools and bicycles, take photographs and secure in a safe place.

High-value items such as bicycles and lawn mowers should be shackled together, ideally to the fabric of the building or to a metal post cemented into the ground.

Use signage to let offenders know you have security-marked your property and you are a member of a Watch Scheme.