FARMERS behind an East Yorkshire Farmwatch scheme say they are being neglected by their local police force.

Vale Watch was set up eight years ago to tackle the increasing number of burglars and poachers who target farms in the Pocklington area. Information about crimes are sent to members of the scheme by fax.

Joan Burnett, Vale Watch secretary, of East Cottingwith, said the police seemed to have lost interest in the scheme.

She said originally the initiative had worked well, with police officers showing enthusiasm for the project and attending Vale Watch meetings. But now the regular information they received from police has ground to a halt.

She said members found it difficult just to contact the police to report incidents.

Mrs Burnett said: "The biggest frustration is that when Pocklington police station isn't open, we have to call the Northern Command Headquarters in Hessle Road, Hull, which is a nightmare. The operators haven't a clue where any of these villages are."

She said she had called the police on Sunday to report a farm burglary in East Cottingwith, in which a number of firearms and ammunition were stolen. She said: "In spite of firearms having been stolen, the operator was more interested in questioning me about who I was and where I lived in spite of my trying desperately to give the operator a description of the car involved and its occupants."

The group has written to local MP Greg Knight asking him to call on Home Secretary David Blunkett to improve police communication.

But Inspector Michael Bower, of Pocklington Police Station, insisted the police were supportive of Vale Watch. He said the group had received less information recently, as the intelligence unit at Goole, which had sent members feedback, had been relocated to Beverley. He added that it would be impractical to man the phones at Pocklington police station 24 hours-a-day.

He said: "It wouldn't be cost-effective to keep an officer in the station taking calls. The best place for an officer is outside, directly addressing the needs of the community."

Updated: 10:52 Tuesday, April 22, 2003