THE future of Dudley Police Station is being "looked at very carefully" following an "incredibly strong" campaign to save the front desk from closure.

Dudley North MP Ian Austin sprung into action when West Midlands Police announced cost-cutting plans to close the front office to the public within 12 months.

As part of his campaign, Mr Austin launched a petition, which attracted more than 2,000 signatures and was presented to the government’s Policing Minister Mike Penning in Parliament.

The front desk at the New Street station is one of 27 across the region earmarked for closure, but when the force released a list of stations affected by the second phase of closures, set to take place on Saturday (February 28), neighbouring stations in Stourbridge and Halesowen were included, but Dudley was not.

A spokesman for the Police and Crime Commissioners said: "Following a very strong campaign by Ian Austin MP that has gone from the streets of Dudley to the heart of Westminster, we are looking very carefully at the future of the station.

“Ian Austin has strongly represented the views of his constituents and this will be taken account of in the police’s decision.”

Mr Austin said the news was "encouraging" and showed that local people were being listened to but added: "The threat hasn’t yet been lifted and we need to step up the campaign.

“It is completely unacceptable that Dudley could become the largest town in the country without a police station open to the public."

He continued: “Local people want to know they can speak to officers face-to-face at the station and they are concerned that closing the front desk will mean a weaker police presence in the centre.”

UKIP Dudley councillor Bill Etheridge MEP, who has a petition running on his website to save local police stations, said he welcomed Dudley being temporarily reprieved, adding: "All local politicians are saying the same thing, we don't want it to shut.

"However as a MEP for the West Midlands and not just a Dudley man, I stand strong that all West Midlands police stations should be kept open and I'm very disappointed that neighbouring stations are being closed."