NEIGHBOURHOOD police officers will share a base with firefighters from next Monday.

The Woodstock neighbourhood policing team is moving across the road to the town's fire station after the lease was not renewed on its Hensington Road home.

Thames Valley Police has reassured residents that officers will 'continue to provide the same service'.

West Oxfordshire neighbourhood inspector, Steve Hookham, said it would 'ensure Woodstock and the surrounding communities will continue to benefit from a locally based police presence for the foreseeable future'.

Chief fire officer at Oxfordshire County Council Fire and Rescue Service, Simon Furlong, said: “We are committed to thriving communities; working in partnership with other emergency services and support groups to achieve this. Co-locating teams at Woodstock makes absolute sense for our communities.

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“It will undoubtedly improve relationships and information sharing between firefighters and police officers, making sure we are doing the very best for residents and businesses while delivering efficiencies by sharing properties.

“Being in the same building will provide more opportunities for our teams to problem solve and identify news ways to deliver our prevention initiatives in a joined-up way, whether that is reducing the vulnerability to crime, fire or other community safety issues.”