A WOMAN whose car was stolen in Worcester went to report it to the police - but found their new station shut.

The 50-year-old was made to wait for an hour outside the Castle Street headquarters before she could report the loss of her Ford Escort.

The force has admitted its service was inadequate and has now pledged to ensure its front desk is manned from 8am until 10pm every night.

"There was just nobody around, even though we kept pushing the buzzer and asking for someone to come out," said the woman, from the London Road area, who asked not to be named.

"In the end, my daughter flagged down a police car and told the officer we had been there more than an hour. He told us there was a shortage of staff and it would be open around 10pm.

"We were freezing cold. It was ridiculous. You should be able to walk into a city police station to report something.

"Fortunately, my daughter was with me, but I wouldn't have liked to have been there on my own. It makes you wonder what you would do if you had been attacked."

Police recorded the theft of the car at 9.53pm, nearly an hour after the woman found it stolen from Charles Street, near City Walls Road, on Wednesday, March 26.

Chief Insp Martin Lakeman, of Worcester Police, said the "minimum requirement" was for the front counter to be staffed until 10pm.

"We should be providing that service and we did not, and that is regrettable," he said. "We acknowledge that and will strive to provide a quality service."

Chief Insp Lakeman said there was an additional delay after the woman was unable to remember her registration.

He refused to comment on allegations that the station was short-staffed on the evening in question.