YORKSHIRE'S top police chiefs were today meeting Home Secretary Charles Clarke about the future of their forces.

Police forces across the UK are due to undergo major restructuring which could see the number cut from 43 to as few as a dozen.

The biggest single `superforce' could be a joint one that joins West, South and North Yorkshire together with Humberside Police, which covers East Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire.

The chief constables of all four forces were in London today meeting Mr Clarke.

The Government says bigger forces are needed to tackle organised crime and terrorism.

If a Yorkshire and Humber force was given the go ahead, the new regional force would cover the largest area of any force in England.

When the forces submitted their merger plans to the Home Office in December, North Yorkshire and Humberside indicated they preferred a full regional merger, but both West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire wanted to say as they were.

Council chiefs and MPs throughout West Yorkshire have already said they do not want the county's police to merge with neighbouring forces.

Leaders of all five district councils in West Yorkshire - including Clr Kath Pinnock from Kirklees - have signed a letter urging the Government to leave the West Yorkshire force alone.

Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman, Colne Valley MP Kali Mountford, Calder Valley MP Chris McCafferty, Dewsbury MP Shahid Malik and Batley and Spen MP Mike Wood have also signed it.

They fear that if West Yorkshire joins another force it will become too big and remote from the people it serves.