Youngsters who have been through trauma will now get a helping hand thanks to a successful initiative picked up by Leicestershire Police.

Officers in North West Leicestershire, which covers Ashby, Measham, Appleby Magna and Castle Donington, have now been armed with cuddly 'trauma teddies' that will be given to children who have been through trauma or are upset.

The hand-knitted cuddly teddies are kept in police patrol cars and are handed out to vulnerable children officers meet when responding to incidents.

The idea comes from Australia, where firefighters would give children teddy bears to comfort them after fleeing from bush fires that had destroyed their homes and belongings.

Children who have experienced trauma will be given teddies

Similar schemes have been launched by the Red Cross - who hand them out to children living in poverty and to child refugees - and by a handful of police forces across the UK also use them.

Officers from the force thanked members of the public after an appeal for teddies was put out on Facebook, but they now say after a huge response, they do not need any more donations of teddies.

A spokesman for Leicestershire Police said: "Neighbourhood police in North West Leicestershire are now carrying trauma teddies in their patrol cars.

"The hand-knitted cuddly toys will be stored in patrol cars and handed out to any vulnerable children officers meet while responding to incidents.

Teddy bears will be used by the police to help children

"We have been absolutely inundated with teddies and the response from the public has been fantastic and we now have more than enough teddies now. We are extremely grateful for everyone's generosity."

Officers will be able to use the teddies to comfort vulnerable children involved in all sorts of incidents, from road traffic collisions or house fires to domestic incidents.