HAMPSHIRE villagers are to pay £25,000 for their own police officer after 1,380 residents signed a petition against violence and vandalism in the village.

The parish council in West End agreed to the move in a bid to tackle a rising tide of antisocial behaviour that villagers say is blighting their community on daily basis.

Angry residents told a parish council meeting last night they had had enough and called for immediate action to stop gangs of youths making their lives hell.

They complained that police were not acting on information provided to them and failed to respond to calls.

Campaigner Ann McRae presented the petition to the council saying more visible policing, CCTV cameras, and anti-social behaviour orders were needed.

Catalogue of violence

"We cannot let this go on. People cannot wait any more. It has escalated in the past six months," she said,

The meeting came just days after 61-year-old High Street jewellery shop owner Ted Keogh was severely beaten by three men who stole jewellery worth hundreds of pounds from his shop.

Last month there was a shooting at an Indian restaurant in High Street.

Other residents talked of break-ins at other shops, smashed windows, alcohol thefts, damage to bus shelters and telephone kiosks, fights and gangs of yobs roaming the village.

Laura Woollard-Fry, deputy manager at The Local, formerly Thresher, said she had banned 20 people over Christmas.

"Last week there must have 40 kids outside. I have eight videos of snatch and grabs. The police are no longer responding," she said.

Chris Walsh, who runs a youth club for the council that attracts 25 people each night, said local kids were largely not to blame, rather trouble makers from outside the West End.

Newly appointed police inspector Shona Hood said resources were stretched and that residents needed to continue to report crimes.

"crime levels are relatively low although I recognise there are issues in West End that are of deep concern to residents and I will address this.

"I can now direct my police officers and highlight it as an area that needs more attention than others."

She said she would put in a bid for more money and manpower for a short-term crackdown on antisocial behaviour.

Parish council chairman Councillor Neville Dickinson said £25,000 would be used to pay for a police community support office specifically for West End. The uniformed officer will have no power of arrest but can issue fines, seize alcohol and detain suspects for up to 30 minutes.

"It's a ludicrous situation," said Cllr Dickinson.

"I'm not happy that we have to pay a police council tax precept then ask local parishioners to put their hands in their pockets to get another police officer."