A NEW police drop-in centre is set to open in Clayton-le-Moors in a bid to allow officers to work even more closely with the community.

PC Rob Flanagan, and his colleague PC Stuart Welch, will be moving permanently to offices at the Neighbourhood Management Centre, in Arthur Street.

The community beat managers are currently based at Great Harwood Police Station, but from April will be in Clayton for five days a week.

The move is part of a new neighbourhood policing plan.

And officers say they are looking to introduce similar drop-in centres in Great Harwood and Rishton.

It comes after police revealed plans to close Great Harwood Police Station, transfer the support unit, which takes up a large part of the building to a proposed new £4million base in Blackburn, and open a smaller building in the town to replace it.

PC Flanagan said: "This is the first permanent police presence in Clayton for more than 30 years, and will provide more immediate support and assistance for the community.

"It is not a full working police station.

"But there will be offices that we can work from, and an interview suite."

There will also be changing facilities and lockers for officers who use the premises.

Arrested suspects will continue to be taken to the Eastern division headquarters at Greenbank, in Blackburn. Sgt Ian Corbett said: "The drop-in centre will be a local point of contact for people to speak to police officers on their own doorstep, and will help forge better links between the police and the community."

The two officers hope to be in place in Clayton from April.

The move has cost Lancashire Constabulary virtually noth-ing.

Existing comp-uter systems will be transfe-rred to the new drop-in centre.

And the rooms are being provided free by the neighbourhood management board.

The Neighbourhood Management Centre is run by Eaves Brook Housing Association.

Eaves Brook neighbourhood regeneration officer Phil Anderton said: "Residents will now have a police presence very close at hand.

"This will enable them to report any problems that may occur, face to face."