Avon and Somerset Police to close 12 police stations

Manvers Street police station in Bath is one of the stations across the West earmarked for closure

Avon and Somerset Police has announced it will be closing 12 stations as part of a bid to save money.

The force said it wanted to reduce the number of buildings it occupied across Bristol and Somerset by 36% by 2019.

Many staff will be transferred to three new police and custody centres in Bridgwater, Patchway and Keynsham due to open later in the year.

Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens said the buildings closing were "outdated" and "under-occupied".

She said the restructuring strategy would "minimise estate running costs wherever possible and align our buildings better to the locations we need to be".

Mrs Mountstevens said the force also planned to share facilities and buildings across the region with local councils, fire and ambulance services.

She said this would mean "the police will be where you need them most, in the heart of your community".

The stations set to close in Bristol are at Avonmouth, Bishopsworth, Brislington, Southmead, Staple Hill, Trinity Road and Filton.

Somerset stations affected are at Bath, Keynsham, Nailsea, Radstock and Weston-super-Mare.