A CHRISTMAS theft has sparked a plea for more police on the beat in an East Cleveland town.

An appeal is to be made to Home Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, after thieves stole 76 lights from the town square in Marske.

The raid was keenly felt as this was the first time the town had decorated the area after Marske town centre partnership had spent months raising the £1,700 needed for the lights.

A letter was sent to Cleveland chief constable, Mr Barry Shaw, and a meeting called to discuss rising crime in the town.

Partnership spokesman, Mr Mike Findlay, said he had been shocked to discover only three officers patrolled the beat in Marske, New Marske, Saltburn and Guisborough on every police shift. He said this was totally inadequate.

He has now written to Redcar MP, Dr Mo Mowlam, and Mr Straw asking for help in tackling vandalism and crime in the area. He also approached Redcar and Cleveland's lead councillor for community safety, Coun Dave McLuckie, to see if a community warden scheme operating elsewhere in the borough could be extended to Marske.

Coun McLuckie said it was planned to bring the warden scheme to every part of the borough from April with priority being given to areas suffering from particular problems of crime, vandalism and anti-social behaviour.

Supt Steve Swales said there were ten officers and a sergeant on each shift covering East Cleveland. The officers work from Saltburn, Guisborough and Loftus police stations.

"We would like more but it is a question of funding," he said.

The Cleveland force is getting 27 new officers next year and 2002, with a further 27 in the following year.