Volunteers staff police station

The volunteers are staffing the station desk and taking enquiries

Residents in a West Lancashire village are working in their police station so officers can spend more time on the beat.

More than 20 people from Aughton have been trained to staff the station's main desk and take enquiries.

It will mean the village's Town Green station can remain open when the community beat manager is out on the streets.

Lancashire Police has admitted that currently it does not have enough funds to provide more officers.

Inspector Phil Melling said the scheme - involving 22 residents - will allow the local constable to spend more time on patrol.

He told BBC Radio Lancashire: "We have to be realistic, we can always ask for more [funds], but we have got a finite number of resources.

"What I'm trying to do is to look at, prior to getting an increase if that should ever happen, is to make better use of what we've got now.

"We can only do so much, but with the help of the local community we can do that little bit more, and that's what this initiative is all about."