The scheme is part of a government initiative to place civilian wardens in towns across the UK, to act as advisors to vulnerable residents and to assist with community projects.

They are not a second tier police force - the wardens are there for the community Malcolm Angel, Stars in Denbighshire

But organisers have denied the network of wardens is a "second tier police force".

The area's first four uniformed wardens started work in Rhyl and Denbigh last February.

The eight new posts, which will be based in Ruthin, Prestatyn and Rhyl, are mainly being financed by a �390,000 grant from the Welsh Assembly regeneration fund.

The recruits are undergoing a three-week programme of training, in which they will be attending courses on issues including child protection, crime prevention and domestic violence.

Topics such as diversity training, drug awareness and first aid will also be covered.

The project is being run by community safety organisation Stars in Denbighshire, which is working alongside Denbighshire County Council and North Wales Police.

We would like to go into south Denbighshire and Llangollen, and we are looking towards having volunteer wardens Malcolm Angel, Stars in Denbighsire

Malcolm Angel, from Stars in Denbighshire, said the new members of his team bring a wealth of experience to the project.

"They are from various backgrounds - including one 55-year-old local from Rhyl, a university graduate, a retired police officer," he said.

"The existing wardens are doing very well and are involved in a number of initiatives," he added.

Expansion plans

Mr Angel stressed that the wardens were not replacements for police officers.

"They are not a second tier police force - the wardens are there for the community and it is up to the community to help tell them what they want them to do,".

North Wales Police is working with the project

He added that the scheme was keen to expand.

"We would like to go into south Denbighshire and Llangollen, and we are looking towards having volunteer wardens," he said.

"But we are aware a strict selection process would be needed and volunteers would receive the full training package," he added.

The north Wales scheme was based upon a similar project in Merthyr Tydfil in south Wales.

In the past, the Police Federation has raised concerns that neighbourhood wardens could become a rival force - although the government has stressed they are not a substitute for the police.

The original idea came from the Netherlands where jobless youngsters are employed as wardens to improve the quality of community life.