CONSERVATIVE parliamentary candidate Dominic Grieve says car thieves and burglars flock to urban villages to take advantage of 'rich pickings'.

Parishioners met Mr Grieve at Bourne End Residents Association's annual general meeting at St Dunstan's Church Hall last Friday, where he spoke on a wide range of issues concerning the community.

He is fighting to hold the Beaconsfield constituency and told the crowd that despite Bourne End having a low crime area with few 'pockets of deprivation', a survey revealed that it was one of the worst policed areas in the country.

He said that police cutbacks were announced in 1997 and figures, pointing to a rise in crime since then, spoke for themselves.

Other Beaconsfield constituency party candidates were not at the meeting but spoke to the BFP later.

Steven Lloyd, (Lib Dem) said: "It's no use for Conservatives to blame Labour on police numbers. The falls started in their term of office.

"Liberal Democrats are the only party to provide aq sane solution to policing."

Stephen Lathrope, (Lab) said: "Crime levels nationally have fallen quite considerably. Under the Conservatives crime doubled between 1979-1997.

Peter Price, UKIP branch chairman, said: "We would be rather more severe on criminals than the present regime or the past regime."

Barrie Penfold, of Bourne End Residents Association, said: "We were delighted to have Mr Grieve come along. Despite what many may think on the eve of the election it was not a party political evening.

"He promised to come along and address parishioners and answer their questions well before Christmas and it was a pleasure to have him."