TWO women targeted by homophobes in a west Wiltshire pub for kissing believe police are not taking hate crimes seriously enough.

One of the victims said gay men and women in west Wiltshire had "no hope" because of the narrow-minded attitude of police.

Revealing how many gay people are too frightened to go out in west Wiltshire pubs, the 20-year-old Trowbridge woman alleged a policeman made a homophobic comment towards her during the incident.

The couple were having a drink at The Anchor pub, in Warminster, when they were attacked by a man.

The victim said: "When the police arrived they were trying to arrest my girlfriend who had been hit in the face and not the other man. I said I would take my girlfriend home and the policeman said 'If that is what you call it'.

"Police have a big role in changing attitudes but they need to look at their own first.

"I don't think they are acknowledging the problems.

"People are too frightened to report homophobic incidents.

"When it comes to gay people nothing gets done."

Blasting the lack of facilities for the gay community in west Wiltshire, the victim said: "There are no facilities for gay men and women, no pubs, no places to meet in the open, nothing.

"A lot of gay men and women in Trowbridge and west Wiltshire keep themselves to themselves and don't mix in.

Chf Insp Nick Maslen said the alleged homophobic comments needed reporting to be fully investigated.

"We have made several efforts without success to make further contact with this female in order to investigate this matter more fully.

"If the person in question would make contact with us again we should be pleased to give the matter the attention it deserves."

Trowbridge town councillor Steve Squires said he was well aware gay men and women were often too scared to report hate crime.

"Rural communities are a little bit more closed to what is seen as the city way of life," he said.

"There is definitely a problem with people reporting homophobic crimes.

"It is a real shame people cannot have trust in their local bobby."

Gary Henderson, of Gay Men's Health, said anyone experiencing homophobic behaviour from police can report the incident through the Gay Policing Initiative.