THE community must play its part in helping to combat the yob problem in Malmesbury town centre, senior police officers told a town meeting.

At a consultative meeting at which people were invited to voice their views about crime in the town, they urged the community to work with police to combat the problem caused by unruly and drunken youngsters.

Residents have increasingly expressed concerns about yobbish behaviour and noise levels caused by drunken youths who congregate in the town centre at night.

The problem noticeably diminished, however, when police stepped up their presence in the town, and residents at the meeting wanted to know why there were not more regular patrols.

But North and West Wiltshire Divisional Commander, Supt Martin Abbot, said police were constrained by limited resources, including a shortage of trained police officers.

He said: "I am in total sympathy with you, but the reality is that we have finite resources for what is an almost infinite requirement.

"I would love to give you more police officers, but I can't give you what I haven't got."

Commenting on the complaints about boisterous youths, he said it was not a criminal offence for youngsters to consume alcohol or gather in the town centre at night. "It is not just a police issue. We can go in there and move them on, but that doesn't solve the underlying problem of why they gather there."

"The community must work to try and solve the problem of why they are there rather than using the police as a patch over the problem.

"We are not a BandAid. We need help from the community," he said.

It has been suggested in some quarters that a lack of town centre facilities geared at young people, particularly those between the ages of 14 and 17, are at the heart of the problem.

He said one way in which residents could begin to tackle the problem was through the formation of community partnerships to look at ways of reducing the likelihood and fear of crime.

Community partnerships are made up of school heads, pub landlords, health and youth workers, police chiefs, traders and councillors.

There has not been a partnership in Malmesbury because residents showed a lack of interest when the initiative was first proposed by Government two years ago.

But a move to reintroduce the idea at a Malmesbury Area Committee meeting later this month, is being supported by Mayor Catherine Doody, and district and county councillor Lesley Bennett.

Sgt Mike Franklin said residents could help alleviate police manpower problems in the town by signing on as special constables. Anyone interested in becoming a special constable should call the police station on (01666) 822222.