Assaults are on the rise in Fermanagh South, and the police are set to maintain a 24 hour coverage of the area to combat it.

The campaign centred on its headquarters in Lisnaskea is set to help combat the problem. A fifth PSNI Section has been formed so as to maintain 24-hour police coverage of the area.

The concerns about Fermanagh South's unenviable position as the 'tops' for Offences Against The Person were highlighted by local independent DPP member, Mandy Edgerton who referred to the figures in the DPP's 12 month report.

They showed a 31 per cent rose for this type of crime for the fiscal year, April 2006 until March 2007. Translated into figures, there were 152 offences against the person over the last 12 months compared to 116 for the previous 12 months.

Chief Inspector Alywin Barton immediately agreed with her, and he told the meeting that this as one fo the issues he had considered earlier this year when he had agreed to a request from the local PSNI Inspector, Roy R obinson to form a Neighbourhood Policing Team.

He went on: "It was why such tremendous efforts were made to form a 5th Section in April so as to retain the 24-hour coverage. Lisnaskea was an area which experienced quite high sick levels last year", he explained, "but, currently, it has no one absent, and I would like to congratulate Inspector Robinson on his magnificent work in this respect".

Mr Barton further explained that the key of concern was the week-end, and the 'social economy', ie drinking, clubbing and partying.

He went on: "The formation of the 5th Section has gone some way to addressing this as it creates an extra Section specifically for public order duty".

He assured the meeting that this would be the subject of continued focus and a matter that would be monitored by himself, Inspector Robinson and, he suspected, the District Commander for Fermanagh.