ANGRY residents gathered outside Maldon’s police station to protest plans to move the police out of the site.

Plans are being progressed to move the police out of West Square, Maldon, the force’s base since 1912.

Officers are due to move into Maldon District Council’s office building, on Princes Road, this spring.

Residents are upset about the plans which they say will cause a loss of character in the town. A petition has already attracted more than 600 signatures.

A group of protesters met outside the police station on Sunday morning to make their voices heard.

Organiser, Rosalind Oakley, was pleased with the turnout. She said: “We did well, we got quite wet, but we had a good number of people come down to support the petition.

“Had it not been raining I think we would have had even more. As it was we still had enough to make our voices heard.

“Everybody out here, apart from maybe two of the 500-odd people I have spoken to are dead against the move.

“It is not until you think about how it would feel without the police there, especially as it is the last manned station for many miles, how isolated it would feel, and also how difficult and inaccessible it will be for the police to get in and out of the council offices.”

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “Plans to move local policing teams into shared accommodation with Maldon District Council are progressing steadily. The lease with the local authority will be signed in the early part of this year with a move under way by spring.”

People can sign petitions opposing the move at Maldon High Street businesses Talking Flowers, Crusty Loaf, the Blue Boar and Reeves.