YOUNG people across south and west Dorset are being urged to put their personal safety first as part of a national day.

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust is launching National Personal Safety Day later this month to highlight the need to take personal safety more seriously.

The trust was formed by Paul and Diana Lamplugh in memory of their daughter Suzy who disappeared in 1986 when she went to meet a client and has since been pronounced dead.

Trustees use the day to highlight the need to think more about personal safety and offers advice and help to people of all ages on its website: www. suzylamplugh.org.

Now PC Sean Cannon, crime reduction officer for the western division, is urging people in the area, especially youngsters, to visit the site and find out what they can do to improve their safety.

And he has organised a quiz for school age children with a guitar, book tokens and footballs up for grabs.

He said: "The Suzy Lamplugh Trust is the national leading authority on personal safety.

"They will be launching National Personal Safety Day on October 15, 2007.

"There are various ways we can all mark this day, as individuals, as parents or guardians, as employers, students, teachers or carers.

"This is an ideal reminder for all of us to check what we think we know and learn some good tips concerning areas of our personal safety we hadn't thought about, or acted on before."

He said the trust's website was a great resource and offers a range of ideas and quizzes on how to make life safer "The section concerning the National Personal Safety Day contains ideas as to how to mark the day, including downloadable quizzes for adults and students at the primary and secondary school ages.

"Violent crime in Dorset is down 8.3 per cent so far this year, compared to last year. In Dorset, the odds are low of being the victim of aggression or violence.

"But we can further reduce those odds by adopting good practices and techniques that can become as automatic as our road safety sense.

"And, of course, we all find ourselves having to travel outside of Dorset sometimes to some places where those odds are often higher."

Quiz questions

PC Cannon has organised two quizzes, one for primary school aged children and one for secondary school aged children to mark National Personal Safety Day.

The answers are on the Suzy Lamplugh Trust website and the winners could win a guitar, donated by Harmony Music, Dorchester, 10 footballs, donated by Sportsgear, Dorchester and £50 worth of book tokens, donated by W H Smith for their schools.

Primary question

If you change your plans while you are out with friends, should you?

A) Call and tell your mum/dad or carer what is happening;

B) Only call if you will be arriving home later than you agreed or

C) Only call if your friends call.

Secondary question

True or false?

It's not a good idea to text a friend while walking along the street.

Email PC Cannon with your answer at: sean.cannon@dorset.pnn.police.uk Include name, age, school and home contact telephone number.

The winners will be picked from correct answers picked from a hat on October 15.