Ref.10649PEWSHAM residents are making a desperate plea to Wiltshire Constabulary to keep two community officers on the troubled estate.

Residents fear petty crime and anti-social behaviour will increase if the estate loses the civilian officers.

Community Support Officers Mark MacIntyre and Terry Lee were introduced to the estate in April, as part of a nationwide pilot policing scheme, after Chippenham Police received endless complaints about the behaviour of youngsters.

But now the officers are coming to the end of their trial period and Wiltshire Constabulary is currently evaluating their roles on behalf of the Police Authority.

Chief Inspector Nick Maslen said: "We are evaluating how we carry them on or what we do with them. The early results are that they seem to be settling in very well."

Residents have now received a questionnaire asking for feedback on the officers to help the constabulary's evaluation.

Town councillor Howard Greenman said they played a crucial role on the estate.

He said: "To lose them would be a disaster. They have been enormously helpful. They have given a great deal of comfort to residents and they feel a lot safer having these community policemen," he said.

Shopkeepers and residents said the officers have made a noticeable difference and stopped many of the problems that were rife last summer.

They have helped to crack down on troubles such as boy racers speeding around the roads very late at night, under age drinking, criminal damage and youngsters intimidating residents around the shops in Lodge Road. Laura Hickman, of Dickson Way, said losing the officers would be madness. "If they were to be withdrawn, this estate will return to the rule of the teenage thugs.

"Terry and Macca have done a fantastic job in reducing petty crime especially around the shops and pub. Before they appeared, getting in and out of the carpark opposite the school was a nightmare and it was only going to be a matter of time before a child was seriously injured or even worse."

On Tuesday a fight broke out in front of Ideal Chemist. Lois Bishop, who works there, said: "It is another reason why we need the community police. It was quite frightening."

She said staff thought drugs were being used behind the shop and that drugs paraphernalia had been found on the green last Friday.

Carole Millard lives on the estate and runs a Slimming World class at the community centre by the shops. She agreed the officers should stay. "They really are doing a good job. They are definitely a good idea. We warrant it as it is a huge family estate and there are a lot of youngsters here," she said.

Mrs Millard said the problem of noisy and dangerous boy racers had stopped since the officers have been working. "There has not been a single problem this summer and it was a big problem last year. I am sure that is because of their presence," she said.

The officers have been working closely with young people instead of treating them like troublemakers.

Mrs Millard said youngsters used to play pranks when she was in the community centre on her own, but now this has stopped altogether, and that one of the civilian officers always made sure they were with her when she closed the centre late at night.

Old Lane landlord Jason Cooke said there was no more vandalism or underage drinking since the arrival of the officers.

The Police Authority has funding from the Home Office for two years to finance the officers at a cost of about £23,000 per officer, per year.