I, too, have had problems with the police assisting when requested over the past year.

A vacant house opposite mine was left with the front door wide open. After contacting the not-so-urgent police line, I was told to keep an eye on it and a car would be along shortly. The car arrived about three hours later. They closed the door and left.

On another occasion, I was involved in an accident on the A27 bypass. The road should have been closed but it took the police a good hour to turn up, causing long delays for all on the bypass. Paramedics where on the scene in what seemed minutes. Both cars where written off and there was one casualty and four walking wounded.

In a third incident, a car was hit outside my house by a hit-and-run driver. I and one of my neighbours got the car's registration but the police could not trace it.

The police did not turn up so we moved the car and swept up the evidence because it was a danger to other vehicles and people walking by. After the owner of the damaged car contacted the police twice more, I believe they traced the offending car.

-E Rowe, Fairway Crescent, Portslade