HAMPSHIRE is set to see another 110 bobbies on the beat by 2003 - but that's only if the county's police force can manage to recruit them.

The government today revealed how 4,000 new police officers - announced recently as part of its spending review - are to be allocated throughout the country.

The figure for Hampshire comes on top of 133 already announced by the government.

Police chiefs and MPs are now calling for Home Secretary Jack Straw to take urgent action to raise the starting salary of £17,133.

Hampshire Police Federation chairman Alan Gordon said: "We desperately need a considerable increase in the number of police officers on patrol.

"But our concern is with the tremendous difficulties we've had filling vacancies as officers retire.

"We are something like 40 under strength as it is. With the figure we've already been allocated, plus this 110, we would need to recruit about 400 officers over the next two years if you add those that will need to be replaced through retirement. We don't stand a hope in hell of doing that because the remuneration package for new recruits is not attractive enough to encourage people to join.

"We are looking to the Home Office to come up with some sort of remedy. It has to do something and it has to do it quickly."

The allocation means that money will be provided to recruit 26 new officers in Hampshire in 2001/02 and 84 in 2002/03.

The news comes shortly after government figures revealed a 5.4 per cent rise in crime in Hampshire.

Deputy Chief Constable Ian Readhead said: "We are always delighted when we have an opportunity to recruit more police officers. One of the challenges we face is to encourage new recruits against a backdrop of low starting pay levels, but we look forward to meeting that challenge."

Winchester MP Mark Oaten said: "What the government needs to do is to provide a Hampshire living allowance to help police with the high price of property here.''

Southampton Itchen MP John Denham said: "This is good news for the public and the police. It means more police where we need them - in the front-line battle against crime.

"But I recognise there are concerns about the way the pay system works, and I have taken that up with the Home Secretary."

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.