During the few hours we were with them, officers dealt with prostitutes, a drunk and disorderly couple fighting on Manchester Road, and a hit and run road accident . . . and we were told this was a quiet night.

The Advertiser joined PC James "Jenson" Button and Special Constable James Hine on one of the two car patrols on Friday night duty in central Swindon. It doesn't sound like a lot of manpower to look after thousands of drunken pre-Christmas revellers but they have plenty of back-up should the need the arise.

This includes a roving riot van with up to six officers on board from 10pm, the Wiltshire Police helicopter, three dog teams and even an armed response unit.

The evening starts with a trawl around the patch, passing the homes of some known burglars in Old Town to see if they are out and about, before heading down Manchester Road to check out if any working girls are looking for some early evening trade.

PC Button estimates that there are around 30 prostitutes operating in Swindon and said that it is one of the force's target crime areas.

He said: "Wherever there is prostitution it brings drug problems, violence and other crimes. I think residents around Manchester Road really appreciate seeing us here."

Police can arrest a woman for soliciting or loitering for the purpose of soliciting. They do this by noting her whereabouts and warning her that if she is spotted again later in the evening she could end up with a trip to the station.

Our first call comes at 7pm, with a report of an aggressive beggar harassing shoppers outside the town centre Tesco store. He clears off as soon as the boys in blue arrive and this time they decide to take no further action.

At 7.15pm it's off to St Mary's Primary School on Bessemer Road where there is a report of youths kicking a football against windows and jumping on the roof. They too have dispersed by the time the police arrive.

Not the crime of the century, but the school caretaker is relieved to see the police arrive and says the sight of a squad car should make the youngsters think twice next time.

Shortly before 8pm there is the first action of the night a domestic dispute between a couple in Manchester Road has got out of hand and spilled out onto the road, holding up traffic.

We arrive along with two other patrol cars to find the man has come off worst and is bleeding profusely from his face. Officers decide not to charge him but drive him home while his female companion, a woman in her 30s, is arrested for being drunk and disorderly and taken to Westlea police station.

She is evidently a regular visitor there and is on first name terms with many of the policemen. She has to empty her pockets and hand over any cords and belts as a precaution against suicide. As a suspected drug addict she is also subjected to a strip search by two female officers to look for illegal substances. Locked up for the night to sober up, the woman will later face a magistrates court appearance and probable fine.

Back on the beat, we return to Manchester Road where by 9pm several suspected prostitutes are spotted.

PC Jenson pulls over the squad car and has a friendly word with a known prostitute referred to as a "Tom" in police jargon with whom he's had dealings with before.

"I'm meeting a boyfriend", she says. "He's picking me up later." She claims she is off heroin now and no longer working the streets. But PC Jenson has his doubts and warns her that if he spots her again she could be arrested.

He follows the same procedure with several other girls but tonight none are careless enough to be stopped twice.

While on the way to an attempted break-in at the Wyvern Theatre car park, we came across a taxi with a smashed front and side at the Cockleberry roundabout. It's just been the victim of a hit and run driver.

Shocked but unhurt, the driver says: "It was like something out of the movies, he was all over the place."

The evening finishes with a trawl around the town centre car parks looking for possible car thieves.

But with the temperature dropping well below zero it seems like it's too cold for the criminals, if not for the police.

PC Jenson, who has been in the force 18 months, says quieter nights like this offer a good chance to do some pro-active policing.

He said: "It gives us a chance to get out there first rather than responding to things after they happen," he said, "espec-ially with the Manchester Road problem, people like to see a police presence in the area."