CASH strapped police officers went cap in hand to a Morecambe community group because they haven't got two coppers to rub together! When local bobbies asked the Morecambe Neighbourhood Council if they could have a share of a £1,000 windfall to buy a mobile phone for one of their officers their application was flatly refused. Now, a leading councillor has cast doubt on the levels of resources to police the local area in light of rising crime levels.

Cllr Trevor Tattersall said: "It's just a shame in this day and age that the police have to approach a a local group for a grant. The state of the police is very worrying especially over Christmas with all the law breaking in the area."

Morecambe Neighbourhood Council were inviting people to apply for small grants after they received a cash windfall through their building society.

But they axed an application from the police because they felt police equipment should be funded through more appropriate channels.

John Bates, clerk of the Morecambe Neighbourhood Council, said they wanted to share the money with the rest of the community.

He told the Citizen: "The application from the police did not fall within our guidelines. The Neighbourhood Council thought the police should really fund a mobile phone themselves. There were was no animosity, we have a very good working relationship with the police."

The mobile phone was intended for a female officer patrolling the West End of Morecambe.

Bobbies on the beat have started to use mobile phones as a security measure in response to the rising numbers of people illegally homing in on police radio conversations using scanners.

A police spokesman told the Citizen they hoped to invest in a mobile phone sometime in the future.

He said: "The money became available and as part of the community we applied for it. I am not saying the Morecambe Neighbourhood Council should provide funds for the police, we are encouraged to get sponsorships, look at the Lancashire Partnership for example.

"I can understand why we were refused the money but I don't want to get involved in any dispute about police budgets."

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