ORGANISERS of an innovative scheme designed to help protect the elderly during the winter are looking for volunteers.

Dawn Patrol is a voluntary scheme designed to check that elderly people living alone are kept safe, warm and well. It has the support of the Newton and Haydock Primary Care Group and the British Red Cross, St Helens Council for Voluntary Services (CVS), St Helens Council and the police.

Children from St Aelred's, St Peter's and Newton High schools will be adopting a street in their neighbourhood as part of the scheme and on the way to school children will check that the elderly residents involved in the scheme are okay. If they think there is a problem, the children will report to a link officer at their school, who will immediately notify the scheme's co-ordinator, who in turn will send a volunteer to check if the resident is okay.

Anyone interested in becoming a Dawn Patrol volunteer can contact project co-ordinator, Denise Davies, at the Red Cross on 01925 292731.