SIR - During the days of the county police force, villages like Great Witley had their own police station with a permanent allocation of a sergeant and several constables.

There was even a local magistrates court held monthly. When West Mercia was created, all that disappeared and a much reduced service was supplied from Stourport, which in turn was policed from Kidderminster.

Local policing vanished at that time in large parts of the countryside, so it is difficult to believe Chief Constable Paul West's claim that a superforce would result in loss of local accountability. For many people, that disappeared 30 years ago!

A REECE,

Worcester.