A village has bought its beat bobby a mobile phone and an answerphone to help him to fight rural crime, writes Ian Townsend.

Chinnor parish councillors agreed to spend the cash after complaining about lack of action by police in tackling drug taking, rowdyism, vandalism, speeding, bad parking and general misbehaviour.

In return, they have asked police to step up patrols and take stronger action. The council has also set up a 'moans 'n' groans' session at its monthly meetings so officers can hear villagers' complaints.

Chairman Lynn Mumford said: "Chinnor is a big village and cannot be policed on a haphazard basis we need a police presence and we don't think that is too much to ask."

Former member Maurice Pullen added: "The village as a whole has been fed up for too long over inadequate policing. "We know their resources are low, but it is their job to police local communities adequately.

"Chinnor does not feel it is getting a fair deal."

Beat bobby Pc Alvin Head, who is based in Chinnor but is regularly called on to work outside the community said: "We do what we can.

"We need local people to be prepared to stand up and be counted by naming the people who are doing the damage. "We need to be told straight away not a couple of days later what is happening and given details so we can act promptly and properly.

"Policing in rural villages is a community effort we and the villagers must work together to make the community a safer place to live in.

"It is no use just moaning give us the information and we will do our best to do our job." Chinnor's criticism of the police follows a similar reaction from parish councils at Haddenham and Cumnor.

But not all rural communities feel hard done by.

Keith Davies, Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator for Great Rollright, near Chipping Norton, said villagers were very pleased with the relationship they had with their local policeman.

And they felt they received adequate attention for the limited crime the village suffered.