DORSET Police should be allowed to hire more officers to patrol during the summer months, a councillor has said.

Former Bournemouth mayor Phil Stanley-Watts said the force needs more support from "beach cops" when the number of visitors to the resort booms.

Cllr Stanley-Watts spoke out days after hotel manager Rosie Wallace called for members of the armed forces to patrol in Bournemouth during busy times.

"I think there's a case for part-time police," he said.

"We can see that already, with the hiring of police community support offices and special constables.

"There could be more of that during the summer months. We need extra recruitment in the summer."

Ms Wallace, the managing director of the Marsham Court Hotel, told the Daily Echo more support should be given to Dorset Police by the armed forces.

"I don't know why we don't get the Army in to help in the UK," she said.

"We've got people who serve in the armed forces and are sat in barracks.

"Why can't they come down to help out during busy times? We're a busy resort town.

"During the summer, the town is much, much busier, but the police don't get any help or extra resources to deal with that.

"We pay the armed forces - why don't we get some help from them at peak times?"

Cllr Stanley-Watts said he agreed with Ms Wallace's comments.

"We live in one of the busiest resorts in the country, and visitor numbers are only increasing," he said.

"We should have temporary police, particularly for the seafront. That would help with reports of anti-social behaviour, and they could also staff information points for visitors.

"It's obvious we need a safety valve when it's busy.

"Bournemouth is a very safe place, but it does get significantly busier here during the summer. We could really benefit from beach cops."

The councillor said he would raise the issue at the annual general meeting of the Boscombe Business Association later this month.

"I really believe we need this," he said.

"Our beaches get extremely busy as the evenings get longer, and the police do a wonderful job, but they could use the extra support."