A FORMER Forest detective who wants to be the county's first elected police chief is fighting to save the Dean's Coleford HQ.

Ex-cop Martin Surl has formally asked for all station closures to be put on hold until after the elections for a police commissioner.

And he has also urged the Audit Committee to investigate the cost of turning downstairs at the council HQ into the Forest's only police station.

Mr Surl, 54, is standing for election as Gloucestershire's Police and Crime Commissioner.

"We know the finances are tight but I think the Police Authority is rushing into this decision," he said.

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