A GOVERNMENT minister is taking an interest in a town's plans for a multi-million pound police station.

Home Office Criminal Justice Minister Lord Falconer was briefed on plans to build a replacement police station in Middlesbrough on a visit to Teesside yesterday.

The building, for the St Hilda's area of the town, is part of a £20m Private Finance Initiative.

The minister was shown the plans by project co-ordinator Dave Kirk.

Lord Falconer also met chief officers with Cleveland Police, the Crown Prosecution, probation, courts and prison services.

Chief Constable Barry Shaw praised plans for the police station, saying present police buildings were falling down and the costs of maintenance went up each year.