A DECORATED former crime prevention officer for York and North Yorkshire has been appointed security director of an online garden security firm.

Mick Gains, who introduced CCTV to York city centre, has teamed up with web cartoon character Tommy T Leaf for the garden crime prevention, retrieval, insurance and consultancy services website www.garden-security.co.uk, which went live last week.

Mr Gains, Cheshire-based garden antiques expert Bill Seddon and computer security specialist Keith Marsden have developed the web-based service.

The Association of British Insurers predicts one in seven gardens would be targeted by thieves over the course of a year with gardeners facing a bill of £100 million.

Mr Seddon, managing director of Gardien Ltd, said: "We are really lucky to have Mick on board. Not only has he a wealth of experience and vast network of contacts in the security and insurance world but he is also well known for his sound business acumen."

Mr Gains, who was a driving force behind crime prevention in North Yorkshire for more than a decade, received the Queens Police Medal for Distinguished Service.

When he retired from the police in 2001 he moved into the private sector and has since carved out a highly successful business career.

He launched his own security consultancy practice, Mick Gains QPM & Associates, in the same year and following a successful 12-month town centre management contract in Malton he was instrumental in establishing the Malton Business Advice Centre with local partners.

As a director of Suddabys Ltd, the Malton-based brewing and hospitality company, he helped to complete a three-year restructuring programme.

At Gardien Ltd he will be responsible for providing expert security and risk management consultancy to clients, assessing information and signposting services and solutions to garden crime.