Supporters of a policeman forced to resign after making a racist comment hope he may still win back his job - thanks to another officer's victory.

Rick Pentith resigned from his post as Shipley's community constable after allegedly referring to an Asian colleague as a "wog".

Mr Pentith, 33, had been 'required to resign' after a disciplinary hearing arising from a complaint by an officer who overheard his comments.

Now Shipley MP Chris Leslie has written to Home Secretary Jack Straw and West Yorkshire's Chief Constable Graham Moore about the former community constable's case.

Mr Pentith, a married father-of-three, has also had to leave his police home. Although he admitted making inappropriate comments he has denied using the word "wog" and is fighting to overturn the decision. Another officer present at the time has said he has no recollection of Mr Pentith using the word.

An appeal to the West Yorkshire Police Authority's independent appeals tribunal is now expected to be heard in February and Mr Pentith has also lodged a claim of unfair dismissal.

Mr Pentith's supporters - backed by a petition signed by hundreds - say the case of PC Steve Hutt should have a bearing on his. The Metropolitan Police officer was reinstated by the Home Secretary just before Christmas after being suspended for calling a suspect a "black bastard".

Joan Bentley, 60, a friend of Mr Pentith's, said: "PC Hutt's case has given us a lot of hope. We think there's now a chance and Rick feels it must have a bearing on his case.

''Over the last couple of weeks Rick's been extremely low but this has given him a real lift."

Mr Pentith's father, John, a retired police officer himself who has previously claimed his son is the victim of political correctness, said: "It's given us fresh hope because as far as I see it, PC Hutt's case was a lot worse than Rick's. What he said was said directly to someone who was in custody at the time but in Rick's case if the word was used - and that's disputed anyway - it was said about someone who wasn't present.

"Rick's alleged offence pales into insignificance alongside PC Hutt's so if his punishment can be overturned, Rick's must be too excessive.''

Mr Leslie said he had got involved by writing to the Home Office inthe light of public interest in the case. "We need to have greater clarification of the rules and the penalties associated with breaking them so there is consistency.

''There's a need for fair and sensible penalties and to have as much transparency as possible so people can see there's a sliding scale of punishments - possibly fines, reprimands and suspensions up to redundancy - that have been considered.''