Continuing help will be offered to domestic violence victims

Let Go, which is launched later this month in Eden and Carlisle, is a partnership between police, local councils and other agencies.

The scheme aims to contact every victim reported to the police within 24 hours and offer them practical support.

Penny Scott, manager of the project, said victims had nothing to fear and the service offered discreet help.

She said: "We will ring victims on their personal mobiles or if we know a perpetrator of violence is in custody and it is safe to talk.

Emotional support

"We will find out when the victim is on their own at home, perhaps when the perpetrator is at work, to make contact.

"But if the telephone is answered by someone other than the victim, we will make an excuse, say it is a wrong number or we are doing a survey.

"We never identity ourselves as a group which works with victims of domestic violence."

The project will also work within the community to challenge assumptions about the acceptability of violence within the family.

As well as offering emotional support, the group will help women in practical ways such as contacting solicitors, offer help claiming benefits and give advice on finding somewhere to live.

The scheme will not only help men, women and children who are being abused, but also abusers who want to try to curb their behaviour.