FAMILIES worried about crime in their neighbourhood will be offered the chance to hire their own "beat bobbies" - for £10,000.

Home Secretary David Blunkett says if neighbourhood groups stump up the cash, the Government would pay the other half of a community support officer's salary to patrol their streets.

However, the scheme - outlined in Labour's General Election manifesto - has been criticised by Eric White, Mayor of Upton-upon-Severn.

Although Upton already has a neighbourhood warden, the town has been calling for more bobbies on the beat for some time.

However, Mr White said it was "a cheek" to expect communities to stump up extra cash to pay for patrols.

"This Government shouldn't put an extra burden on communities by getting them to pay £10,000 - we already pay for our police in the precept," said Mr White.

"I certainly don't think Upton would be prepared to pay £10,000 for someone walking around the streets.

"They wouldn't be walking around the streets when we needed them, such as Friday and Saturday evenings, which is when most of the unrest seems to occur."

The scheme has also been criticised by the Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers.

They say community support officers do not possess the same powers as police and if they find themselves in a challenging situation, they may have to radio for help from police officers.

Andy White, chairman of West Mercia police federation, said: "This scheme just doesn't make sense. It's policing on the cheap.

"The Government may as well put the money in and get proper police officers with all their powers.

"The community support officers will have limited powers and it won't take very long before the people who know they haven't got any powers to play up."