CHESHIRE residents are being encouraged to do all they can to support the police in their fight against terrorism.

David Keane, Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner, is urging people to report suspicious activity and behaviour to help the police tackle terrorism.

Today marks the launch of the Action Counters Terrorism Campaign which is designed to help the public spot signs of terrorist attack planning methods.

The launch date marks the 25th anniversary of the IRA terrorist bombing in Warrington.

David said: “Sadly, 25 years on from the terrorist attack which claimed the lives of two innocent boys in Cheshire, terrorism is more of a threat than ever to people going about their everyday lives.

“The public can help us defeat terrorism by reporting suspicious activity or behaviour which can give police intelligence to foil terrorist plots and help save lives.

“Following last year’s unprecedented rise in terrorist activity, record numbers of people contacted the police via the online reporting form or confidential helpline to report their suspicions.

“This resulted in more than a fifth of reports being used as intelligence by police in the fight against terrorism.”

Research carried out by Counter Terrorism Policing suggested that while more than 80 per cent of people are motivated to report suspicious activity or behaviour, many are not sure about what they are looking for.

David added: “As part of the campaign launch, a new 60-second film based on real life foiled plots has been released. It shows examples of terrorist-related activity, as well as attack planning methods.

“If you see or hear something unusual or suspicious, trust your instincts and report it

“It could be someone buying or storing chemicals, fertilizers or gas cylinders for no obvious reasons, or receiving deliveries for unusual items. It could be someone embracing extremist ideology or searching for such material online.

“Any piece of information, no matter how small, could make the difference between a lethal attack or a successful disruption.”

Anyone with anything to report can do so anonymously by ringing either 999 or 101.

Residents in Cheshire can also use the online reporting tool gov.uk/ACT.