OLD-FASHIONED beat bobbies are set to return to their patch in Weedswood to help curb anti-social behaviour.

Medway Police area commander Supt David Pryde said the initiative to place officers with responsibility for different areas was a Medway-led initiative.

He said: "It's specifically with some of the issues surrounding criminal damage and anti-social behaviour and is a way of having more interaction with the local communities.

This new initiative is being operated in support of and in conjunction with our intelligence-led policing policy and the officers will enhance this policy and the level of intelligence gathered in the Weedswood area."

Supt Pryde added: "We are hoping to roll out this initiative across the whole of the Medway area in the months to come. We continue to review our policing strategies and will revise these strategies and our response to specific criminal action as appropriate."

MP Jonathan Shaw, who has helped set up the initiative, has organised a public meeting to take place on November 27.

He said: "I have held a meeting with everyone involved to discuss Weedswood and put an action plan into place. At the meeting we want to spell out to the community what is going to happen now and then I will organise a follow-up meeting later on."

Mr Shaw welcomed the move to put police officers back on the beat.

The public meeting about Weedswood will take place at Oaklands Junior School in Weedswood Road, Walderslade.