TALES of murder, theft and fraud are rife in the town of Thame – and now residents want to show them off.

No, the idyllic area doesn’t actually have an usually-high crime rate; but it is otherwise known as ‘Midsomer’, where a new murder seems to happen every week.

Scenes from the television series have been regularly filmed in Thame over the past 20 years, and now its connection to the show could be immortalised with a series of special plaques.

Thame Town Council has applied for planning permission to put plaques on six listed buildings, where the TV series Midsomer Murders has been filmed.

Thame regularly features as Causton, or one of the other fictional village, in ‘Midsomer County’.

Local artist, Chris Behan, designed the plaques, closely following English Heritage Guidelines.

The colour proposed for the plaques is a muted shade of red, to ensure they compliment the brickwork.

The planning application states: “The plaques would provide a constant presence […] acting as a magnet for visitors throughout the year”.

They hope to maximise the ‘Midsomer Effect’ to help local businesses ‘prosper’.

The plaques would be affixed upon The Spread Eagle Hotel, The Swan Hotel, Rumsey’s Chocolaterie, Thame Museum, Thame Town Hall and Market House.

Kate Rumsey, of Rumsey’s Chocolaterie, said: “Rumsey’s enjoys a number of customers visiting due to out Midsomer links, however there are also a large number of people who aren’t aware (both tourists and locals) and we really think the plaque will help us deliver the message in a tasteful way.”

In ‘Picture of Innocence’ Rumsey’s Chocolaterie is a camera shop, but today one can buy a ‘Barnaby Bun’ while exploring the Midsomer County.

In the episode ‘Secrets and Spies’, Thame Museum became Causton Museum, where an animal’s skull was stolen and is suspected to be the murder weapon. Market House becomes the office of the local newspaper and where a murderer in ‘Midsomer Life’ was arrested.

Midsomer Murders was first broadcast in 1997, based on Caroline Graham’s books, and is now shown in over 100 countries around the world. The current lead character is DCI John Barnaby, played by Neil Dudgeon.

The number of international viewers has increased since several episodes were aired on Netflix, with an estimated six million new viewers per episode.

Coaches of tourists arrive in Thame throughout the year, with many completing Midsomer walking tours. There is now a ‘Visit Midsomer’ website which attracts more than 200,000 visits a year. It is hoped that the plaques will encourage even more to pay a visit to the real-life ‘Midsomer’.

The target for a decision on the plaque plan is October 16.