MORE bobbies on the beat have been pledged for Richmond and Catterick areas from April next year.

Insp Charlie Kay, responsible for the patch, said five officers would be designated as community constables and allocated to individual parts of the area.

He told a meeting of Richmond Central parish forum that he had drawn up the proposals following comments from the public that they wanted to see more police on the beat.

The five officers, who had not yet been selected, would work alongside the force's youth action officer and community safety officer and their shifts would be flexible to allow them to respond to the individual needs of their patch.

They would patrol the streets, in particular tackling anti-social behaviour, which the public identified as its number one policing concern.

Areas covered were likely to be split into Gilling West, Eppleby and other villages north of Richmond; Barton and Middleton Tyas; Scorton and Catterick Village; Richmond town and its immediate villages, including Skeeby; and Colburn, Scotton and Hipswell.

Each constable would have his or her own office and telephone contact number and would attend parish and town councils when requested to discuss particular matters.

"The officers will work individually or, when required, as a team and their shifts will be more flexible than normal," Insp Kay told the forum.