Dorset: Plan to reopen more police stations

Blandford Police Station has reopened to the public two days a week

More police stations could reopen to the public if a pilot scheme is a success, a Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has said.

Blandford and Lyme Regis in Dorset, reopened their front desks two days a week as part of a trial.

Blandford's station reopened in March.

PCC David Sidwick said: "We want to bring it to Lyme Regis. If we can make that a success, we will be looking at how we can roll it out to other places across Dorset."

Blandford's police station, based in Salisbury Road, is open every Wednesday and Saturday from 10:00 to 15:30, when the town is at its busiest.

'More visible'

Lyme Regis station, in Hill Road, will be open every Tuesday and Thursday.

PC Sidwick added: "One of the things that people said to me was they wanted the police to be more visible, connected and engaged.

"I've got a list pinned up on my wall of places who have told me they want their front offices back.

"We will start looking at how we are going to do it."

Dorset Police closed six of its front desks in 2015 in a bid to save £300,000.

Last summer the force ran a pilot programme that used a police van as a mobile police station, allowing officers to provide a physical point of contact in areas without a police station.