Dame Stella shared her knowledge and experience with a room full of business and community leaders during a special event at Nottingham's Council House on Thursday.

It was the formal launch of Nottinghamshire Community Safety Trust (NCST) a charity which works to support crime prevention strategies across the county.

Dame Stella, who grew up in Nottinghamshire, recently returned to her roots and was keen to back the trust and its work.

She said: "National security and crime prevention locally are very closely linked. This trust is helping to make the city and county safer for all.

"I've become involved with NCST because I like to give something back and do my part in making the county and country a safer place.

"One of the key aspects I was interested in was their work with older people to make them feel safer, and as I'm getting older its something I'm more aware of."

Key aims of NCST include promoting increased quality of life through the prevention of crime and the protection of people and property from criminal acts.

Three initiatives which NCST currently has underway are The SAFE Project (Security and Advice for the Elderly), Neighbourhood Watch and The Foyer Project — a safe house for the re-establishment into the community of ex-criminals.