RURAL areas are left with no police when resources are “dragged” to Shrewsbury to cover football matches, it has been claimed.

Councillor Roger Evans, who represents the Longden area, said big events in the county town often see neighbourhood officers roped in at the expense of the local villages.

He put the claims to Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion at a meeting of West Mercia police and crime panel, but was told police cover is always available.

Mr Campion said one of his main “frustrations” from the previous year was the apparent slow progress in improving residents' perceptions of police presence.

The force’s recruitment drive, which has seen officer numbers boosted by 500 since Mr Campion was first elected in 2016, was highlighted.

Mr Campion said around 20 per cent of people report seeing a police officer once a week, and that he thought that could be improved on.

But Councillor Evans said there was a distinct lack of police presence in rural areas at certain times, particularly on weekends.

Mr Campion said it was normal for officers to be brought in to help in other areas where they are most needed, and that urban centres always draw resources.

He said he had allocated funding to help ensure large events were policed appropriately and had recently made £400,000 available for officers’ overtime to avoid drawing officers away from neighbourhood teams.

Councillor Evans said rural areas lose their police every Saturday afternoon when Shrewsbury Town are at home.

However Mr Campion responded: “There are no parts of West Mercia that are un-policed. There is never a community that doesn’t have policing available.”