BROADWAY traders and Vale MP Peter Luff are delighted at news made by police minister Tony McNulty that police mergers in the country are to be put on hold.

The decision to merge the police forces was announced earlier this year and was estimated to cost £1 billion pounds, but the idea has been halted by the government.

Members of the Broadway traders who campaigned throughout the year to prevent the amalgamation of the West Mercia police force merging with the West Midlands were thrilled with the news.

Broadway traders secretary Jenny Buchan believes the government has seen the error of its ways by not going ahead with the decision.

"The plans to scrap the merger is great news for the people of Broadway. Broadway is a small village on the edge of Worcestershire and if our police force was to merge with the West Midlands we'd have been totally over looked.

"It seems they have made the right decision. Common sense has prevailed," she said.

Back in April, Mid-Worcestershire MP Luff led a delegation of Broadway traders to meet the chief constable Paul West at police headquarters at Hindlip Hall to argue against the super force idea.

Hearing the announcement Mr Luff welcomed the apparent decision of the Home Secretary to abandon the enforced mergers.

"It's excellent news and now West Mercia Constabulary can get back to its real job, fighting crime not crackpot ideas from ministers who should have known better."

The move marks the end of the biggest police reform for 40 years which was intended to address concerns that smaller forces would not be able to cope with counter terrorism or high profile investigations.