A NEW scheme aimed at helping to re-unite a lost child with their family as quickly as possible is being launched in the town centre this week.

A NEW scheme aimed at helping to re-unite a lost child with their family as quickly as possible is being launched in the town centre this week.

From Wednesday Child Safe Zones will be set up around Ipswich town centre which will see shops linking up with Suffolk police and street rangers if a child is reported as lost.

Parents coming into Ipswich with their children will be able to collect a wristband from the Tower Ramparts and Buttermarket shopping centres and the Tourist Information Centre.

Each wristband will contain a unique priority number which will link a child to the police if they are to become separated from their parent and reported missing.

There will also be a number of 'child-friendly' stores in the town centre, which will display a smiley orange balloon campaign sticker to show their support of the scheme and if a child is reported as lost, they can alert the police and street rangers to ensure that the child and parent are reunited as quickly as possible and with minimum distress.

Paul Clement, Executive Director of Ipswich Central said: “The scheme is all about quick response which in all cases reunites children promptly with their family.

“We set up these Child Safe Zones with the belief that it will provide families with an extra comfort factor and will make Ipswich a safer and more family-friendly place.

“Many people may have previously felt quite nervous about bringing their child into town when it is busy and hopefully with these extra measures put into place, families will feel more at ease whilst out shopping.”

n. Do you think the scheme is a good idea? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or email eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk

PANEL:

WHAT TO DO IF YOU LOSE YOUR CHILD IN THE TOWN CENTRE

n. Stay close to where you last saw them

n. Ring 08700 62 27 39 and the operator will be able to help you

n. Stop, stand still and look, don't run around

n. If lost in a shop, go to the nearest till point and talk to the shop assistant

n. If in a shopping centre, look for the smiley orange balloon window sticker, then look for a Mum with children and ask her to ring the number.

Advice is from Ipswich Central.