POLICE have reassured residents that officers will stay in Stanhope, despite rumours about the closure of their base.

The village police station is being refurbished after its sale to the Community Association. The move sparked rumours that there would be no police presence in the area until the work was finished.

But officers are keen to reassure residents this is not the case and have arranged temporary offices in the nearby Dales Centre.

PC Dawn Clarke, who works from Stanhope, said that officers wanted to remain part of the community.

The station, which was the dale's last remaining police station, was sold last year, but police are leasing a fifth of the 130-year-old building to use as a base for beat officers and mobile patrols.