Council workers are set to turn crime-busters in a pioneering new bid to make the streets of Bradford safer.

All 5,000 of the authority's workers are being urged to keep their eyes peeled for crooks and suspicious activity and report it anonymously to a confidential helpline.

Each of the workers will get a Crimestoppers calling card in their pay packets.

And bin wagons and council vans are taking the crime-busting message down every street in Bradford.

All 900 vehicles owned by Bradford Council have been emblazoned with the Crimestoppers logo and free telephone number.

Senior police officers hope to boost the number of people using the service, which offers cash in return for tip-offs about criminals.

The discreet hotline allows people to pass on information without giving their own name. The call does not even show up on phone bills.

"Crimestoppers makes criminals feel uncomfortable because they don't know who may pass on details of their activities," said Detective Sergeant Ian Froggett, co-ordinator for the Yorkshire regional office.

So far this year there has been a sharp rise in the number of calls from people in Bradford to Crimestoppers.

There were 57 calls from the Bradford South police division, which have resulted in eight arrests. Another 41 have come in from Bradford North leading to two arrests. Two stolen vehicles have been recovered since January.

A call to the Crimebusting hotline led to the arrest of three Bradford men recently. They had been spotted parking a car in suspicious circumstances. When it was checked it was recorded sto-len. When police attended, they found the men getting back in the car and arrested them. More stolen goods were recovered.

Bradford Council is the first local authority in West Yorkshire to adopt the logo. Bosses at City Hall have teamed up with Bradford Police in a bid to clean up the streets.

Superintendent Colin West-ern, in charge of operations at Bradford South police, said the move was a "tremendous boost to community safety".

"The police are committed to working in partnership with organisations such as the Council, Crimestoppers and members of the public to make the district a safer place," he said. "With the reassurance offered by Crimestoppers, we hope the information coming from the public will help police identify and arrest those responsible for committing crimes in our communities."

Councillor Margaret Eaton, Council leader, said Bradford was a pioneer. "We are always willing to help the police and other partners so they can tackle crime," she said.

The Crimestoppers number is 0800 555111.