POLICE response teams currently based in Wells will move to a new police station being opened in Shepton Mallet later this year.

The Wells enquiry office will close as well and move to Shepton Mallet in mid-2019.

The new police station will be based at Haskins Retail Centre in the town centre, and is expected to open in the summer or autumn.

It will replace the current neighbourhood police base at Mendip District Council.

The response teams from Frome will also be moving there.

The local neighbourhood policing team will remain in Wells. A new police station is being sought with the preferred option being a new building at the fire station site in Burcott Road.

Chief Inspector Sharon Baker said: "The new police station will provide a hub for our police officers and PCSOs in the Mendips and we are looking forward to having a central and visible base. These plans don't affect the number of officers or PCSOs in the community, who will continue to work as they currently do. In fact they are becoming more visible by increasingly patrolling on foot and by bike and completing paperwork in the community using laptops."

Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens said: "This is an exciting time for the Mendip area. I'm pleased we can finally announce our plans which include a new purpose-built station in Shepton Mallet fit for today's policing, as well as a continued focus to remain in our core areas such as Wells and Frome.

"My commitment to residents is to protect local policing numbers including the officers and PCSOs that serve the Mendip area. We are able to do this, while also releasing money from our over-sized, under-utilised buildings, and investing in the latest technology to make policing responsive to local people's needs by being as mobile and accessible as possible."