THE POLICE are lobbying Halton's MPs for more money to stop frontline services being cut.

Derek Twigg and Mike Hall will be asked to try and squeeze more money from the Home Office.

Cheshire Chief Constable Peter Fahy said: "The last thing we want is a reduction in frontline policing but the government should be warned this is a very real prospect."

But Mr Hall, MP for most of Runcorn New Town, said: "I don't agree with that at all.

"It's pretty clear Cheshire is well-funded. It's got a new HQ, three new custody suites and it's never had so many coppers."

Mr Twigg, MP for Widnes and Runcorn Old Town, was unavailable for comment yesterday (Tuesday).

The two MPs, along with the rest of Cheshire's MPs, will be lobbied by Chf Con Fahy and the head of the police authority, Peter Nurse.

Cheshire is one of several police authorities joining together to lobby more than 100 MPs in total.

The police say they need a 5.5 per cent increase in funding from the Home Office but look set to receive only 3 per cent.

The police get most of their money from the government and the rest from council tax.

"Central funding has fallen short before but we've always been able to make up the difference with the council tax," said Mr Nurse.

"We can't continue to do this because the public are getting fed up of tax increases and the government is threatening to cap increases."