British invasion forces in the southern Iraqi town of Basra hope to start patrols with local police officers within 48 hours to quell civil disorder, British army officials said on Saturday. Group Captain Al Lockwood, the main spokesman for British invasion forces at Central Command headquarters in Qatar, said looting, plundering and arson which broke out after the fall of Iraqi cities to U.S.-led forces had been exaggerated by the media.

"You seem to see the same repetitive bit of film time after time after time on any channel that you watch, which could possibly lead to the impression that there is far more happening than there is," he told Reuters.

He said the civil disorder -- the product of "natural exuberance" after the ouster of President Saddam Hussein -- would die down and was already abating in Basra.

"We're three or four days further on in the liberation cycle than Baghdad itself," he said. "In Basra...with the assistance of the locals we have managed to reduce the amount of looting and there are several other more proactive things that we're about to start that will hopefully stop it altogether."

A British military spokeswoman said there was a plan to start patrols with the local police in Basra within the next 48 hours, once links had been established with figures in civil organizations which were still functioning.

Lockwood said British invasion forces were working fast to restore security to open the way for aid agencies, which say Iraq's cities desperately need medical supplies and clean water but are still too dangerous for their workers to go in.

"It does take time...we're doing it as fast as we can," Lockwood said. "But to say we've lost the peace is a bit heavy at this stage."

PHOTO CAPTION

British troops patrol the streets of Basra, Iraq attempting to maintain order, Friday 11th April, amid reports of extensive looting. (AP Photo/Brian Roberts/Pool)