Sheffield's police helicopter base closes

The National Police Air Service plans to close ten helicopter bases by 2017

The National Police Air Service (NPAS) helicopter base in South Yorkshire has closed.

The base, in Sheffield, is one of ten across England and Wales set to shut by 2017 as the service works to meet a 14% budget reduction.

South Yorkshire has been served by the NPAS since April 2013 with a helicopter based in Sheffield for ten hours a day.

The NPAS said despite the closures it is "normally" able to reach 98% of the population within 20 minutes.

Simon Wilkinson, of the NPAS, said: "The closure of NPAS Sheffield is part of a national programme of planned activity to ensure that essential air support remains in place to support the police forces of England and Wales at a significantly reduced cost to the public.

"The decision to close NPAS Sheffield was based on an impact assessment of the ability of the National Police Air Service to provide air support to police forces in line with areas of the greatest threat, harm and risk to the public."

The nearest base is Carr Gate in Wakefield, which operates 24-hours a day.