DELIGHTED Essex villagers will soon see the return of the bobby on the beat, if plans for a new mobile police station receive the green light next week.

DELIGHTED Essex villagers will soon see the return of the bobby on the beat, if plans for a new mobile police station receive the green light next week.

Police in Tendring Division are seeking approval for a £55,000 purchase of a specially-equipped large van which will tour rural communities who have wanted a greater police presence.

The "police station on wheels", which is set to be approved at Tuesday's meeting of the Essex Police Authority, will be the fourth of its kind in Essex after Harlow, Colchester and Braintree and will enable police to increase their profile in outlying areas.

Split into two sections – a front counter and an interview area – the van will be staffed by a front-office civilian and a full-time police officer.

The plan is for the van to tour a number of villages, spending about an hour in each one, allowing the police officer to patrol on foot or bicycle as the mobile unit opens for people to visit.

Tendring Division's community safety inspector, Insp Richard Day, said: "If this proposal goes through, we won't actually get the van for about three or four months. During that time we will consult with the local councils about devising a schedule of visits for the van, but I imagine we will target those larger villages that do not have a police station.

"It will reassure the locals that police are there to be talked to and deter any criminal activity."

"We'll also be deploying it in urban areas such as Clacton seafront during the summer," he added.

Chairman of St Osyth Parish Council Michael Talbot, who has been campaigning for more deterrence to rural vandalism, said: "It sounds like the old police surgery that we used to have in the village halls combined with a police officer patrolling at no extra cost to us.

"We absolutely welcome this great new initiative from the police. People here will be delighted. Anything that improves our sense of security is excellent news, especially bearing in mind a recent survey in the parish in which 55% said they were not satisfied with the police presence."

Ch Insp Iain Logan, of Colchester Police, said the experience of the van in his area had proved to be a "great success".

He said: "The feedback has been really positive and we are looking to extend our schedule which currently visits villages once a fortnight. It's a super bit of kit and we will be passing our knowledge to Tendring. It really has paid dividends for us."