ANGRY Hoylake residents are demanding extra police in the town to combat a rising tide of vandalism.

Councillors, traders and residents met police officers at a public meeting last week to complain that more and more incidents were being reported particularly at weekends but bobbies were not reacting quickly enough to catch the cuplrits.

In return, police said they hoped that the launch of a new 'Neighbourhood Police' scheme would put more officers on the streets from April.

Under the initiative, sector Inspectors with a designated team of officers will be responsible for different 'wards' in Wirral. Regular ward surgeries will be held and issues raised will be followed up.

But police spokesman Chf Insp Bob Gittens told the Globe that a strategy was already in place to tackle the problem before April and he was confident that crime issues would continue to be dealt with effectively.

"Plans, in the short term, are to carry on with an increase in high visibility policing, particularly at weekends. Mixed in with that is an operation to try and catch the people responsible. This will carry on until we can control the problem.

"I want to send the message out that Hoylake is being policed positively and that will continue. As April approaches, Neighbourhood Policing will kick in and I'm sure that will give local people the resources they want."

Chairing the meeting, Conservative Cllr Hilary Jones said: "It's nice to hear that so many of you are concerned about your local community."