PERSHORE Group of Colleges has sold a large part of the land at its Hindlip site to West Mercia Police Authority.

The deal for the 249 acres, which includes training buildings, followed the group's decision to rationalise its operations on its sites at Pershore and Holme Lacy in Herefordshire.

The college will continue to operate its agricultural activities at Hindlip until the end of the current academic year, when most of the courses will transfer to newly built resources at the Pershore campus, with the remainder going to Holme Lacy.

Ian Pickford, chairman of governors for the college group, said: "West Mercia police have always been close and supportive neighbours of the college, so the outcome of the sale of the Hindlip campus is particularly pleasing.

"Moreover, the site remains in the public sector and will continue to serve the community."

The police authority's chairman, Brian Watkins, said one reason for the purchase had been the number of regional and national police training courses attracted by West Mercia.

"The additional accommodation will now provide us with a greater capacity to extend these activities and to generate further valuable income for the constabulary," he added.

"The need for increased specialist support for present day operational policing activities is placing tremendous pressure on our existing accommodation at Hindlip and the extra ready-made offices on our doorstep will help resolve this problem."

He went on: "Both the college and the police authority are pleased that this settlement now means that the Hindlip College site will continue to be used for the benefit of the community.

"We have been policing at Hindlip for more than half a century and this purchase has assured our future at our current headquarters for at least the next 50 years."