IT seems obvious that the visibility of our police is linked to crime figures in towns like Bolton.

They’re not just a physical deterrent for the criminal but a source of confidence in authority for the law abiding.

So it’s good to see that the first of the 100 new officers recruited by Greater Manchester Police – the first in five years – are now set to finish training and get to work.

The rise in hate crime, the deterioration in road behaviour and even more fly tipping – all of which blight our communities – could be helped by these high profile additions.