ANGRY, demotivated, undermined and insulted, were the words used by Andover's MP Sir George Young to describe the county's demoralised police force.

With desperate recruitment problems, rock-bottom morale and talks of militant action, the future does not look bright for local policing, a meeting heard.

Sir George said he had been inundated with letters from Hampshire bobbies opposed to plans to reform the nation's police service.

The Government's Blueprint for Change white paper has set officers across the country on a collision course with Home Secretary David Blunkett.

Among them are hundreds from Hampshire who have bombarded the Home Office website with furious comments about modernisation, which they say comes with slashed overtime and reduced allowances.

Around 70 Hampshire officers gathered to make their views known to local MPs. From fresh-faced recruits to chief inspectors with years of experience, all packed into the force's Netley support HQ to air their concerns.

The five MPs who attended the meeting were left in no doubt about the strength of feeling among Hampshire's boys and girls in blue.

Much of the debate focused on controversial plans to give more power to civilians. Home Office plans to introduce community-style wardens with power of detention and civilian investigators to interview and charge suspects were a particular cause for concern.

A warden scheme for Andover and Romsey, is under discussion by Test Valley Borough Council.

Other officers blamed the media for fuelling stories of police being malingerers who tried to win big payouts through retirement on ill-health grounds.

Sir George said: "Most of you have said there are good points in the white paper but what people have been saying is that police officers feel hurt, insulted and fed up with constant sniping and undermining."

Hampshire federation chairman, Alan Gordon, stressed sickness levels among the service were better than those of the ambulance service and fire brigade but blamed the national media for being 'anti-police'.

"I don't think MPs have a full understanding of the strength of feeling among officers," he said.

The proposed reforms, designed to make police forces more profession and effective, would abolish special allowances and other perks in a bid to save a massive £150 million.

Recently the force announced it was raising its maximum age limit for new recruits from 44 to 50, as well as allowing those who have undergone laser eye surgery to be accepted.