Police staff service helicopter

Police engineers will service the helicopter used by three forces

A helicopter used by three forces is to be serviced and maintained by police engineers in a bid to cut costs.

Eastern Counties Police Maintenance (ECPM) was formed by the Essex, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire forces a year ago to reduce costs and share air services.

ECPM is based at the Army's Wattisham airfield in Suffolk.

Gordon Murray, from Cambridgeshire Police, said: "By bringing maintenance services in house, we can save costs and forge links across the region."

Paul Marion, from ECPM, said: "There are budgetary savings by entering the partnership.

"We believe we can deliver a better service which is quicker with less downtime for the aircraft.

"By being close by we can nip problems in the bud so little faults can get more attention, quicker, before they become big faults."