Thousands of new students are arriving in the city to begin courses at Bristol University and the University of the West of England.

For most it will mean living away from home for the first time, making new friends and learning new skills but for a significant minority there will be the misery of becoming a victim of crime.

Safer Bristol, the partnership of public agencies working together to make the city safer, organised Student Week to make try to keep the number to a minimum.

Brian McCutcheon, chairman of Safer Bristol, said: "The universities and colleges in Bristol are a vital addition to the vibrancy of the city, but with so many people descending at once, it's important to highlight safety concerns especially during times like Freshers' Week where students may let their guard down as they enjoy the celebrations.

"By working together and following the advice from our partners we can build safer communities and make sure that everyone enjoys their freshers' activities and the academic year ahead."

Stoke Bishop neighbourhood police team have been visiting Bristol University's halls of residence this week to hand out personal attack alarms, tag bikes and offer general safety advice.

Cheryl Coles, Safer Bristol's Community Safety Officer, said: "The student week is all about crime prevention. Students are a vulnerable target group for crime, especially those who may be coming to Bristol for the first time.

"This week will be offering advice on personal safety and property to make sure that those students are best prepared."

The police have a set up a Facebook group called In the Zone aimed at students which offers safety advice on how to reduce the risk of burglary.

The site also offers information on how to register mobiles, laptops and other expensive items with the national Immobilise scheme.

Police have also been attending Freshers' Week fairs to give safety advice.

PC Matthew Holloway, beat manager at University of the West of England, said: "Bristol is a great city to come and study in and we want to make sure that students have fun but still remain safe.

"We have organised stalls at many of the college and universities freshers' activities so that we can be on hand to offer informal safety advice."

Avon Fire and Rescue Service will also play a vital role. Between October last year and August this year they were called to student halls roughly twice a month, with 23 fires in total.

In a bid to combat the problem Avon Fire and Rescue Service is working with student halls of residence to highlight cooking safety.

Leaflets and posters detailing no-nonsense advice have been distributed and Avon Fire and Rescue Service will also be attending a number of freshers' events where an interactive display will be used to highlight the dangers of cooking while under the influence of alcohol.

This will involve students trying to cook while wearing 'beer goggles' which simulate the effects of alcohol on stability and vision.

Barbara Brown, head of community safety at Avon Fire and Rescue, said: "We want to ensure not only the students safety but also the safety of the surrounding communities. We hope that these displays will showcase to students how dangerous it is to cook under the influence."