RISING levels of crime are always likely to cause strong feelings and increasingly desperate calls for action against the criminals. For some of those present at the recent Horsforth, Aireborough and Otley Police Community Forum, the sight of Horsforth's crime tally alongside Otley's lower crime figures provoked an angry reaction.

But fewer and fewer people still believe that a return to the bobby on the beat is a realistic option, in a society where criminals do not simply target the area in which they live, but can easily drive to the next town, or even a completely different part of the country.

And police time is increasingly taken up with combatting wider problems such as drugs - often the cause of burglaries, robberies and other crime.

Most residents of Horsforth, Aireborough, or any other area, would be delighted to have a local police station opened, but realise that it is not a realistic wish.

Of course it is also of little comfort to crime victims, or those living in fear of criminals, to hear that police officers are not just around the corner if help is needed. Although criminals could be anywhere, some towns are lucky enough to avoid an influx of the more serious types of crime, while others fall within easy reach of crime-stricken areas.

Police themselves do not argue that crime in Horsforth is too high, but believe they are treating each area fairly. If they are to successfully catch the criminals, and deter others from following the same route, what they need is the help of all sections of the community to work in partnership against crime.

STRENGTHENING work to Pool Bridge will now take nine months - four months longer than originally expected.

Engineers at Leeds City Council had planned that the work - due to start next month - would take around 20 weeks - an impossible task according to the contractors lined up to submit tenders.

Now, the council has reworked the tender to allow for the extra 15 weeks which it says will mostly be taken up by the building of the temporary bridge.

With such confusion before the work has even started, people in Pool must be wondering just how long it will eventually take. Not to mention the final cost - currently put at £360,000.