WEST Mercia police this week launched a major recruitment drive - despite the fears that it could soon be swallowed up by a regional "superforce" based in Birmingham.

The force is recruiting 79 new police officers to strengthen its ability to deal with serious and organised crime and another 316 staff - 300 of them community support officers.

The hunt is also on for more volunteer special constables.

Advertisement using the force's "Be Somebody" recruitment brand began appearing in national police publications this week. Further advertising in national publications including those with a high minority ethnic readership are to follow.

Chief Constable Paul West said: "At no additional cost to the council taxpayer, our police authority has provided us with the necessary financial backing to ensure that both local policing and protective services can be provided to the highest possible standard across the force in the months and years ahead.

"The appointment of more than 300 extra police community support officers, to bring the total number of the force to 388 by April 2008, will help us to provide all local communities with their own dedicated neighbourhood policing teams made up of named local officers and CSOs.

"This major investment in new posts will ensure that West Mercia Constabulary is even better positioned to provide a full range of effective and efficient policing services for its communities and that we can meet all of the complex demands of modern day policing.

"We are already a top performing force and these additional posts will help us to maintain that position."

Chairman of the police authority Paul Deneen, said: "The authority is investing £2.9 million this year to combat serious and organised crime including terrorism and extremism and to respond to critical and major incidents.

"There will be further investment in 2007/8. This investment will also ensure the delivery of local neighbourhood policing as required by Home Secretary Charles Clarke."