LANCASHIRE Chief Constable Pauline Clare has hit out at the raw deal she claims females still suffer in many areas of national and local life.

Mrs Clare, Britain's first woman police chief, was speaking at Fair Play North West's Agenda for Action conference, at the force's training school at Hutton.

She insisted: "We will not tolerate racism, we will not tolerate sexism, we will not tolerate bullying, we will not tolerate any unfair treatment."

Mrs Clare said any economy which wanted to compete with the best in the world needed a highly skilled and flexible workforce, where women played a major role.

She added: "Despite good progress, women still remain poorly represented in many areas of national and local life.

"There are many barriers for women to overcome to enable them to realise their capabilities and to contribute fully to both the economy and the community.

"There is a big task ahead and it will not be achieved unaided."

Fair Play is an organisation of public, private and voluntary groups which try to break down barriers.

Earlier this month, Mrs Clare launched Lancashire Police's corporate strategy, which is aimed at working in partnership to provide a better and more efficient force.

The force is also playing a big role in the work of the North West Fair Play network.

Mrs Clare added: "There is much rhetoric about equal opportunity; we have all heard it.

"But I am determined the Lancashire Constabulary won't pay lip service."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.