One of Hampshire's largest towns is set to lose its police station.

The building in Southampton Road, Lymington, is being sold off next year, with officers transferring to the town hall in nearby Avenue Road.

But the cost-cutting plan has come under fire from the town mayor, Cllr Michael White.

He said: “I would like to know how local policing will now be carried out. This is not good news.”

However, former mayor Anna Rostand said the move “made sense” and added: “As long as it's the same service I don't think it matters where they are.”

Referring to the current police station Cllr Rostand said: “Having a facility like that is a luxury and if the town hall has the space and can accommodate the police team, why not?”

A police spokesman said the scheme would ensure that policing In Lymington remained “at the heart of the community”.

She added: “The move would result in no change to the current service provision “Officers would start and end their shifts at the new base. However, they would continue to spend the majority of their time patrolling the area they serve.”

The plan is part of a county-wide strategy aimed at reducing running costs by disposing of old, expensive-to-maintain police stations and sharing other buildings with partner organisations.

The spokesman confirmed that Lymington police station would be sold once officers had moved out.