THE closure of Ulverston Police Station has prompted Duddon and Furness Mountain Rescue Team to expand its home base near Broughton-in-Furness.

For many years, the team has maintained a fully equipped emergency vehicle at the police station with two further vehicles based at their main operational centre in Foxfield.

But following Cumbria Police's decision to close the station, the team decided to expand the base at Foxfield which will allow all three vehicles to be garaged at one site.

Team Leader Mike Margeson said: "This is a strategic decision taken following discussion with all parties involved including Cumbria Constabulary with whom we have been liaising over the closure of Ulverston Police Station for the last two years.

"This move and plan is about operational effectiveness; it will make the team more efficient, and effective by giving us more space and all our resources in one place. It will enable the team to give a better service to the community as a whole.

"The plans for the proposed new Blue Light Emergency Services hub in Ulverston are not yet finalised. The team's needs have been considered in this proposed development, but the proposal only allocates space for a single mountain rescue vehicle with shared resources which does not nearly meet the the team's present or ongoing strategic and operational requirements."

The move will be completed this month.