Officers in Loftus will be moving to a new station inside one of the original police houses next door.

The old station, which is now largely redundant, dates back to the early 20th Century and will be converted into five houses by the Endeavour Housing Association.

PC Eddie O'Hara, from Loftus, told BBC Radio Cleveland, he was sad to leave the old station.

'Rabbit warren'

"I'm upset about it. I've been here almost 13 years.

"It almost harks back to the Heartbeat era, you get that feeling that there is something old about it.

"On the other hand, going to the new station is good.

"There are only 12 officers here and the building is like a rabbit warren.

Six houses

"Next door we will be able to communicate with each other and of course there will not be the upkeep."

Ray Gibson, from Endeavour Housing Association, said: "The original plan was to convert the building into six houses, but Cleveland Police could not find appropriate accommodation for their station anywhere is Loftus.

"They decided to move into one of the old police houses next door, and we are converting the other house along with the main building."