YOU don't have to go far to hear someone complaining about there never being enough police on the streets these days.

It's one of those topics that comes up when and wherever more than two people are gathered together, after the weather and Rovers or Burnley's latest win or defeat.

And although we do seem to be in a society where there is more of what I would call nasty crime than there was 30 years ago I cannot remember a time when people didn't complain about a lack of visible officers.

When so called panda cars' were first introduced in the days of black and white TV and Z Cars we were told that they were to be the death knell for the bobby on the beat.

But not everyone thought there were too few police about.

I can remember driving an ancient Ford Popular with a dubious exhaust, severe rust problems and a handbrake which was less than efficient.

And there seemed then to be copper on almost every corner!

But for a guilty conscience to work as a deterrent against crime you need a conscience - and a fair few of today's criminals don't seem to have one.

There also used to be another effective weapon in the fight against crime - neighbourliness!

All but the most drug-crazed or psychopathic offenders would hesitate to commit any kind of crime where they might be spotted by a third party for fear that the person would step in and take action to stop them.

And if you were taken ill, or in distress, in a public place you could guarantee that a stranger would do "the right thing".

Two stories this week illustrate that chivalry isn't something from a bygone age.

First there are the local residents who went into action when they saw a couple of men standing near a smashed window at the home of a 91-year-old former wartime fighter pilot neighbour in Wilpshire.

They got together to look for the miscreants, challenged them and retrieved a bag containing some of the old gentleman's burgled belongings.

A different but extremely challenging situation saw Arthur Almond and retired GP Elaine Leonard step in to carry out vital first aid on 29-year-old Aaron Hargreaves when he collapsed during hill training with Blackburn Harriers two days before Christmas.

They effectively kept him alive until the ambulance arrived and he was rushed into intensive care to be treated for a massive heart attack.

As Aaron's wife Danielle said: "We owe everything to Arthur and Elaine. We will be in debt to them forever."

If we all showed the sort of concern for our fellow beings displayed on these two occasions I reckon it would be far more effective in turning back the clock on crime than diverting more tax revenue to our police forces.