Safer Neighbourboods teams (SNT) in Sutton are working with the Royal Mail to look out for elderly and vulnerable people.

Officers are asking postmen and women who have detailed knowledge of local streets, to tell their management if they are concerned about addresses where they know elderly people live. They will then liaise with SNT officers.

The initiative is being led by officers from Cheam Safer Neighbourhoods Team and is deemed particularly important during the cold and dark winter months.

Signs of potential problems could include curtains closed during the day, uncollected newspapers and circulars in the letterbox and side gates left open for unusually long periods of time.

Acting Police Sergeant Gill De’Voreaux, of Cheam SNT, said: “This is about postmen and women working with us to help keep people safe in their local communities.

“It’s initiatives like this where working together closely in partnership we can make a difference to peoples’ lives and build on the excellent community spirit that exists in so many of Sutton’s local neighbourhoods.”

Initial reports from the pilot project include a postman on his rounds who was approached by a man in a van asking him to pass on letters for cash, racial remarks made to a postman and the identification of an elderly lady living alone.