OPENING hours at Otley Police Station have been slashed by more than half.

And one of the workers at the station is claiming it could be another step towards its overall closure.

From Monday, the station will be open to callers during office hours only.

Although people will be able to contact police at Weetwood via a telephone video link at the station, there will be no one at the front desk at Otley on Saturdays and Sundays and only from 9am to 5pm during the week.

Police chiefs have said the reduced hours - changed from 8am to 10pm seven days a week- are temporary and are due to sickness.

But they have warned the opening hours will be reviewed once those on sick leave have returned in two to three weeks time.

Workers at the police station believe the reduced hours will remain, with further reductions and possible complete closure of the station, on the cards.

One station worker, who asked not to be named, said: "We've heard rumblings for a long time. We think that they are trying to run it down gradually and then say they've not got enough staff to manage it and then close the station completely."

And Margaret Atkinson, vice chairman of the Aireborough, Horsforth and Otley Police Community Forum, said reduced hours was a step backward.

"We are desperately short of police officers at the moment, I don't think the public realise just how short we are.

"Otley has been extremely lucky to have a police station in the town for this length of time. Lets hope it is just reduced hours and not the first step in

closing it down.

"It is upsetting for the people of Otley, but at least they do have a police station that is open and is

functional, it is more than a lot of people have got. Let's hope it keeps going."

Councillor Graham Kirkland (Lib Dem, Otley and Wharfedale) said it reflected the force's shortage of money.

"There's not enough money to run the show. It's bad news for Otley and eventually people will get the idea that they can't get nicked for doing anything in

Otley."

Chief Inspector Nicholas Bartrum, based at Weetwood Police Station, said: "The problem we have at the moment is we have people on the help desk who are off sick. We have had to reduce the hours to 9am to 5pm until they come back to work."

Chief Ins Bartrum added it was likely the people would be off for between two to three weeks and once they were back the opening hours would be reviewed.

"This is a temporary thing until we have sorted things out, but we have to review everything, nothing stands still.

"This has been prompted because of sickness, but we were about to do a review anyway.

"We have looked at the use of the front desk by members of the public. The 9-5 situation may or may not stay, we will have to see."

He stressed that although the front door would be closed, there would be police officers in the building and patrols operating in the town.

"The police station is not going to close. There will be police officers working in the building and officers patrolling Otley."