MP Ivan Lewis wants a bigger share of cash from the county's police chiefs to tackle crime in his constituency.

With Radcliffe, Whitefield and Prestwich regularly targeted by robbers and armed gangs, Mr Lewis has called for a major shake-up in the way Greater Manchester Police (GMP) allocates funding between its ten divisions.

At present, Bury's N Division receives the smallest amount of cash in Greater Manchester as it has one of the region's lowest crime rates. However, around 70 per cent of the borough's robberies, which is a major cause of concern to police chiefs, happen in the south.

Mr Lewis, MP for Bury South, said: "Within the borough of Bury a significant majority of robberies are taking place in Radcliffe, Prestwich and Whitefield. I am not prepared to see my constituents treated as soft targets by the criminal fraternity.

"Equally, I am not prepared to tolerate a view which has prevailed for too long in certain sections of GMP that Bury is the sleep division."

Mr Lewis's challenge to Chief Constable David Wilmot for more cash followed a three-hour crime summit in Bury this week.

The Bury Community Safety Partnership meeting was attended by Bury's divisional commander Chief Superintendent Phil Hollowood, Bury Council bosses, representatives from youth services and the youth offending team, the drug action team and the probation service.

During the summit, the MP raised a range of issues which he believed were of growing concern to the public, including anti-social behaviour by gangs of youths, under-age drinking, parental responsibility and a shortage of facilities for young people.

Mr Lewis said: "I am delighted that all agencies have recognised the effect of anti-social behaviour on people's quality of life. This is only the beginning of a new approach which will hopefully lead to improvements in local areas."

He also acknowledged the need for changes at central government, including more time to plan for new funding initiatives.

Chief Superintendent Hollowood called on Mr Lewis to press the government for more cash to fund other agencies in a bid to cure the symptoms of crime.

He said: "Everyone now accepts that to cut the crime and disorder which affects decent people's lives, lots of organisations must play their part.

"The probation service works to prevent convicted offenders committing more crimes. We have heard, however, great concerns over the way funding is allocated to them."

However, one of Mr Lewis's first priorities is to support a call for more funding for GMP's crackdown on crime. "Mr Lewis must press this matter in government."

He said: "The Chief Constable of GMP recently asked local MPs to argue for a bigger slice of national police funding and, naturally, I am more than willing to contribute to this.

"However, I will also be calling on GMP to review its own formula for dividing up resources."