More than 1,200 people have signed a petition demanding a bobby on the beat in Dover town centre.

Hundreds had put their names down in the first few hours and that had swelled more than 1,000 within four days as part of a campaign by a new anti-crime group, Dover Watch.

The petition, which began on November, calls on Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Scott, to fund the new role from the extra council tax he raised for 2018/19 to fund 200 new police officers.

Dover Watch’s founder, resident Terrance Smith, said: “I love Dover and I want residents and visitors to feel safe in the town.

"That’s why we would like our beat bobby back.

“We used to have two police officers based in Dover, walking their beat, but because of cuts we now don’t have one.

“A lot of people I know won’t even go into the town centre any more.

“If we have a bobby back, that knows what is going on and people know they can talk to anytime, people will feel much safer.”

Dover Watch was formed by residents and business owners after meeting at the V Lounge bar in Cannon Street last month.

About 20 people were there to discuss their concerns about crime in Dover, ranging from street drinking, aggressive begging, assaults, drug dealing, burglary and theft.

They are convinced even with this range of crime, cuts to policing and victim support were common for every situation.

V Lounge owner James Defriend: “We want to see more police on our streets. That will help to reduce crime.

"At the moment police are under pressure as there is a shortage of them and the public are waiting hours when they phone for police assistance.

“It is getting worse as police are struggling to cover all areas. We the Dover Watch are starting a petition to put that right while we still can.”

Cllr Peter Wallace said: “In the past eight years the government has cut 532 police officers and 104 police community support officers from Kent.

“Those cuts have really affected how people feel about crime in Dover.

"I’ll do anything I can to promote their petition for a new police officer to cover Dover town centre.”

"In the past eight years the government has cut 532 police officers and 104 police community support officers from Kent" - James Defriend

According to statistics on the Kent Police website there were 219 crimes committed in the central Dover area last September.

This compares to 221 in the previous September and 169 in September 2016.

These cover all crimes and the single most common, offences of violence, rose from 59 in September 2016 to 80, 12 months later, and 73 last September.

The figures counting individual types of crime are mostly for central Dover but also cover isolated cases within a radius.

The office of the Police and Crime Commissioner has been contacted for a comment.

Chief Inspector Mark Weller said: "Dover is served by dedicated resources in the town, including the Local Policing Team, our proactive Community Policing Team, the Police Community Support Officers as well as those in the Dover Community Safety Unit and support from many other departments and partner agencies."

He said he regularly reviews resources, adding: "It ensures residents and those who work in Dover receive the most appropriate and effective policing coverage available, ensuring the town remains safe for all."

• The online petition is available via change.org/p/matthew-scott-kent-s-police-and-crime-commissioner-bring-back-a-police-officer-for-dover