CUTS of £8 million from the police budget have led to fears that two out of four police stations in the Forest will close.

Gloucestershire Constabulary will announce in the coming weeks how these cost-saving targets will be met.

Rumours are circulating that Newent and Lydney police stations will close, with officers based at those stations transferring to Coleford or Cinderford.

Superintendent Phil Haynes was adamant that the police would not lose a base in each of the Forest towns but said that, countywide, officers would undoubtedly be working from fewer police stations over the next four years.

"No decisions have been made, and it might be that none of the Forest stations close," he said.

"I think we have proportionally more stations than the rest of the county but obviously we're keen to have a good presence all over the Forest.

"Ultimately the Police Authority will be looking to improve the service that the public is getting – not to reduce it."

Supt Haynes said that rather than police stations being withdrawn from Forest towns, it was more likely that officers would share their buildings with other organisations or businesses, or vice versa.

Newent town and district councillor Len Lawton said: "Our beat manager has been funded by the county council and as part of his terms and conditions he must spend 80 per cent of his time on this patch.

"Four constables and a sergeant are also being allocated to Newent so they need facilities.

"We will be very supportive of the police in maintaining a facility within Newent."

Lydney mayor and former Forest police officer Bob Berryman said: "The Superintendent assured me and the mayors of Coleford and Cinderford that there would be no closure of police stations when we met in December."

The Police Authority meets on February 10, with a decision expected on February 14.