BUDGET cuts have led to the closure of 18 police stations or bases in Cumbria since 2011.

Police chiefs blame cuts for them having to make the tough decision between keeping bricks and mortar or officers to fight crime.

A number of other smaller community bases have opened in some cases in places such as community centres or portable cabins – but figures show the overall number of stations has dropped.

Some community leaders believe vanishing stations have fuelled problems in those areas, contributing to low level anti-social behaviour.

But those leading the force say they have to cut their cloth according to the cash available – and older traditional buildings eat up money.

Ulverston, Dalton and Millom are among towns where stations have closed, to be replaced with much smaller satellite bases.

Cumbria police's Chief Constable Jerry Graham said: "Over the past seven years the constabulary has reluctantly closed a number of police stations across the county.

"These decisions have not been made lightly as we recognise the reassuring presence a police station has for members of the public.

"Ultimately the decision to close stations has enabled us to retain frontline officers and staff."

He said the force had invested cash in technology, which had "enabled flexibility in where officers and staff can work from".

Mr Graham added: "The benefit of this is that officers can spend much more time working in the communities they serve."

Cumbria's police and crime commissioner, Peter McCall, said where police stations had shut, there was often a police desk – a drop-in event - held in somewhere like a supermarket or library.

He added: "While it is understandable that local communities feel a sense of loss when a police station closes, the reality is that maintaining older buildings not only does not meet the needs of modern policing, but they also consume scarce cash resources which potentially reduces officer numbers."