This is of great importance to all local communities and is a copy of a letter written to a national newspaper.

“I live in Wigan where our community policeman attends a monthly meeting and gives us information about how many car thefts, burglaries and muggings have taken place in our area since the last meeting.

“He advises us and gets feedback from those at the meeting.

"Would it not be a good idea for all police to keep communities informed in this manner?

"It puts the police back into being part of the community instead of an unknown face.”

This used to happen in Blackburn. I have attended Parish Council meetings and have been told that this will no longer be, as on Friday nights the police are deployed in Central Blackburn.

Crime figures are given to us in a letter, but would it not be better to have the ‘community’ policeman there in person and to have direct dialogue with his community?

B White, Risedale Grove, Blackburn.