AN improved police presence has been pledged for Nelson when the town’s police station reopens its doors.

Store owners and traders in the Pendle town have expressed concern about the number of officers patrolling the main shopping streets in recent weeks.

But Insp Phil Davies, the borough’s neighbourhood policing inspector, said the situation should be corrected when work is completed on Nelson’s Broadway police HQ is completed.

The provisional date for this has been given as June 15.

Mr Davies told Nelson councillors: “Certainly when Nelson station reopens you will see increased police visibility as all our response officers will be based there.”

Borough police commander Chief Insp Jeff Brown had been keeping the situation under review, he added.

Work has been ongoing to upgrade the Nelson station as it becomes the main base for response officers in Pendle.

While the project has been under way, officers have been starting their shifts at Colne’s Craddock Road station.