Members of a crime-busting forum have blasted MPs Ann and Alan Keen for turning up just once in 10 years.

The husband-and-wife duo put in another no-show last night in the wake of a shocking twin stabbing in Hanworth, despite parliament being in recess.

Ann and Alan, MPs for Brentford & Isleworth and Feltham & Heston, are statutory members of Hounslow's Community Police Consultative Group (CPCG).

The forum, also made up of police, religious leaders, councillors and residents, meets every two months to discuss how to tackle problems across the borough.

Chairman Mohammad Chaudhry, a former Labour Party member, said: "We're only asking the Keens to come once a year because we need them to be an interface between the community, police and parliament.

"It was a vital recommendation from Lord Scarman that MPs are members of these groups and a number of the Keens' colleagues attend quite regularly.

"All members of the group except the police are volunteers but the Keens are paid elected members so why can't they come occasionally for the betterment of the community?"

In a letter to the CPCG, Mr and Mrs Keen explained late night debates at Westminster often made it hard to attend meetings but said their main reason for staying away was to give the public more time to quiz the police.

"We utilise the minutes of every meeting to monitor the issues raised by members of the committee but know that our involvement in the meetings would do nothing other than reduce your opportunity to raise questions with the police," they added.

"We are always available to all our constituents who wish to raise police issues with us either as a group or individually.

"Your chairman knows this has always been the case and we are disappointed out relationship with the group has often been misrepresented."