CALLINGTON is to lose a police constable at the end of this week, a fact described as 'depressing' by the town portreeve Denise Winfindale.

PC Julian Collison, who covered Callington and Stoke Climsland, is taking a post at the police's Middlemoor headquarters and will not be replaced.

The neighbourhood team will now include one neighbourhood beat manager, Jen Williams, who will cover the whole of the area, including Calstock and Gunnislake, two PCSOs, Mark Stribley and Jo Addems, and the neighbourhood team manager Sergeant Julie Finn.

Torpoint police station is also to lose a PC. These neighbourhood changes are part of the police budget cuts with the focus on retaining frontline policing from the response centre at Launceston.

Sgt Julie Finn said the staff at Callington were committed to providing the best service for the community.

Cllr Winfindale said: 'It's a depressing picture. We are trying to crack down on anti-social behaviour here in Callington but it is hard when they reduce police numbers. It is so disappointing.

'The PSCOs finish at 10pm and most of the anti-social behaviour occurs in the early hours on a Friday and Saturday night.

'With no PC here in Callington, who's going to be keeping an eye on things at those times.

'People are going to be asking what are they paying their council tax for.'