The sure way to avoid the misery of debt, as Mr Micawber pointed out to David Copperfield, is not to allow your expenditure to exceed your income. Unfortunately there are many people who are unable or unwilling to follow that maxim and end up borrowing money to bridge the gap. Sometimes that borrowing is to pay off other debts, and can lead to what might seem like a desperate downward spiral.

It is when people find themselves in this situation that they can be persuaded to turn for help to loan sharks, who provide money without asking too many questions but then demand repayment at exorbitant rates of interest, backing those demands with intimidation and in some cases sickening acts of violence.

These criminals prey on some of the most vulnerable members of society. As the chairman of West Yorkshire Trading Standards Committee, Councillor Malcolm Slater, rightly points out, they can place whole communities under their control and influence.

If the results secured so far by the initiative pioneered by Birmingham Illegal Money Lending Team are any guide, the extension of its methods next week into the Bradford district should see the loan sharks pushed on to the defensive.

We wish the campaign every success and would encourage those who find themselves at the mercy of the sharks, or know of their activities in their locality, to report them on the helpline.

Meanwhile, it is worth remembering that any source of money which is not a bona fide lender is likely to be trouble. If in doubt, consult Citizen's Advice or another legitimate debt-counselling agency.