A BUSINESS leader has said it would be a disaster if funding was not found to keep Camborne and Redruth's police community support officers.

Funding for the 12 officers, covering both towns, runs out next March, and no decision has been made yet about their future.

George Le Hunte, chairman of Camborne Chamber of Commerce, said: "It would be a disaster if they go. Obviously I would have thought the police were trying to find funding. We would rather have police on the beat, but community support officers are better than nothing. They have got to find the money to fund them.

"If they know the funding is running out, they should have an exit strategy to replace the funding, and to continue the service."

John Pope, mayor of Camborne, said he would be disappointed if the community support officers were lost to the town, and added he would be meeting the police in two weeks time, when he hoped to find out more.

Full story in this week's Packet