POLICE have been asked to put more bobbies on the beat to tackle the growing problem of drugs in a deprived area of Nelson.

Community and councillors from Whitefield met with senior police officers following a disturbance involving 100 people complaining about what they see as police inaction.

The windows of a house in Hargreaves Street were broken but the crowds eventually dispersed after appeals for calm from the police and community leaders.

Inspector Ian Hartley said: "The police have appealed for restraint in the community. Inquiries are continuing into drugs activity in the area.

"The community has appealed for a heightened foot patrol presence and the mechanism to create greater grass roots understanding between the local youth, police and community leaders. We are trying to forge closer links between the police and particularly the younger members of the community."

Inspector Hartley said lack of manpower and the need for mobile patrols to attend calls quickly meant increasing foot patrols was difficult.

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