The people of Bradford frequently call for more police on the beat. They protest at any plans to take officers out of the community. They worry that the absence of the local bobby might have a bad effect on the morale of law-abiding folk while boosting the confidence of criminals. They complain that the police are not as accessible as they should be.

All of which makes it all the more surprising and disappointing that when a community constable has organised advice sessions at which people can talk to him about their worries, hardly anyone has turned up.

It is understandable that PC Abdul Khan feels dismayed that his initiative has drawn such a poor response from the people of Idle, Thackley and Thorpe Edge. Surely there must have been more than three people over the past three months with something they wanted to raise with their local police officer.

PC Khan points out that the police log book shows that scores of telephone calls are received about nuisances such as illegal motor-cycle racing. It might well be, of course, that people are prompted to raise these matters when they occur, as a matter of urgency, and that they are not the sort of thing that can be put on hold until the monthly surgery.

But there must surely be long-running problems of nuisance, safety and security. It will be a shame if what could be a valuable service is lost through lack of support because people can't be bothered to go along to the surgery and share their worries with someone who can offer advice, reassurance and in some cases action.