Police leaders vow to tackle crime in town centre

Police officials said they would "move quickly" to improve safety in a town centre following a spate of retail crime and vandalism in recent months.

Northamptonshire's police, fire and crime commissioner Danielle Stone said she was shocked to hear the impact anti-social behaviour was having on businesses in Corby.

She and the county's chief constable Ivan Balhatchet visited Willow Place on Thursday and said all options were being considered for a new police base.

Labour MP Lee Barron recently called for the reinstatement of a fully operational station in the town, which is currently served by a police hub open two days a week.

Ms Stone said: "I am shocked to hear from businesses about the tension that is being caused by the anti-social behaviour of a group of young people.

"I know local police officers have been working hard to tackle it but clearly we can do more."

The former police station in Elizabeth Street was replaced by a hub at the Corby Cube building in 2017, and Ms Stone said discussions were under way about the future of the service.

"I will be talking to the chief constable about how we can move quickly to make sure that there are the right resources in Corby to support town centre policing."

Mr Balhatchet said: "My mission is to strengthen neighbourhood policing and make sure my officers have the best opportunity to make an impact on the communities they serve."

Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.