A SPAT between two politicians, which could have lost people in Redcar and Cleveland the chance to quiz a police chief, has been resolved.

As reported in last week's Advertiser, the squabble erupted over a series of letters which Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council leader David Walsh and Ken Walker, chairman of Cleveland Police Authority, claimed to have sent to one another.

Now Cleveland Police Authority has stepped into the breach and admitted that officers failed to pass on Coun Walsh's letters - which agreed to a request for Cleveland Police Chief Constable Barry Shaw to speak at a council meeting - to Coun Walker.

A spokesman said: "The lead officer of the police authority has been in touch with Coun Walsh to apologise for what was an administrative error.

"It is hoped that it will now be possible to move quickly towards arranging a meeting at which the chief constable will be able to speak with all members of Redcar and Cleveland Council, with press and public able to attend."

Coun Walsh said he was relieved the letters had been found and that the meeting, where people will be able to put questions on policing to Mr Shaw, would go ahead.