Today has been labelled a “Great Day for Petersfield” as the town’s new police station has been officially opened.

And the woman who cut the ribbon this morning has told East Hampshire’s residents to expect an announcement later this summer in a strong hint that a second station is coming to the district.

Hampshire’s Police & Crime Commissioner Donna Jones did the honours with East Hants MP, Damian Hinds, acting Chief Constable Sam de Reya and town mayor, Cllr Chris Paige joining her for the grand opening.

Hampshire Police spent around £2.5million – from signing the dotted line to fitting out the building – to transform the former Barclays Bank on The Square into the county’s newest police station.

But it “sets the standard” for the county according to its users with the 4,500 sq foot station boasting a front counter, control room, cells and rooms for CID, local policing and district policing teams.

“We have given back what you desperately needed and asked for,” said Ms Jones, who added the building took around five months to kit out.

“You said we really need a police station and a presence in East Hampshire but particularly in the town of Petersfield and I am delighted it is here.

“We have got a front counter, and it’s a proper front counter where you can report anything you need to, staff are going to be working here three days a week, including on market day, which is very important.

“For the other three days the front counter staff will be working somewhere else in East Hampshire and that is an announcement coming very soon about a new police station so stay tuned on that one.”

Acting Chief Constable, Sam de Reya, said it was great to have such a big turnout for the grand opening.

She gave a short talk about the history of policing in Petersfield, with the town being without a central police station since Hampshire Constabulary left its previous home on St Peter’s Road on 2016.

She said: “It’s so fantastic so see so many people here today. I think sometimes with policing, people feel we want to be away from our communities, but not in Hampshire.

“We want to be absolutely at the heart of where it’s happening and here for you. We’re going to have our Neighbourhood Policing Teams here, we’re going to have our CID move in shortly.

“This is a touchdown for our response teams and our joint operations team we share with Thames Valley Police and our wonderful front office staff. You’re getting some really fantastic experience here.”