Residents have welcomed proposals for a 'satellite' police station on an Oxford estate.

Police are looking into the possibility of setting up a permanent base in Rose Hill.

The Rose Hill and Iffley beat team is currently based at Cowley Police Station, in Oxford Road.

Graham Pink, neighbourhood sergeant for Rose Hill, Littlemore and Iffley, said: "The idea behind it is that it would be somewhere more accessible to the community we are trying to work in.

"It would save people having to come back to Cowley police station all the time and it's something our officers can use every time they are on duty."

Mr Pink stressed that plans were in the early stage and suitable premises needed to be found.

Residents have made frequent pleas for an increased police presence on the estate and were delighted to hear of the plan.

Ali Berry, of Court Farm Road, said: "I think it's a great idea.

"It would be a lot easier to get hold of them and having them there might deter some of the kids from doing what they do."

Former city councillor Bill Buckingham said: "If this comes to fruition, I'd be most pleased. Why shouldn't we have our own police station?"

Ed Turner, city councillor for Rose Hill and Iffley, said: "I think it's an excellent idea.

"Anything which in- creases the presence of the police on the estate would be a very good thing."

Police have been raising their profile on the estate in a bid to tackle ongoing problems with vandalism and antisocial behaviour.

Patrols have been stepped up and last month, police community support officers Luke Westell and Vicki Channon, both 23, joined the beat. Two more PCSOs are expected to be brought in over the coming months.

Police have also extended for another six months the estate's dispersal zone, brought in last year to split up gangs causing many of the problems.