WORK has started on a new state-of-the-art police and fire operations communications centre near Worcester.

A turf cutting ceremony was held on Friday at Hindlip as work officially began on the construction of the joint centre, which will serve West Mercia Police, Warwickshire Police and Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service.

The new centre is part of a wider £23.5 million project.

Of the total spend £14 million will go on the building at Hindlip, £4 million into the refurbishment of an existing building in Warwick and £5.5 million for new technologies at both sites.

It is hoped the changes will make the service more efficient and effective, improving the emergency response.

The work is being managed by Place Partnership and the building will be covered with cladding to help it match nearby Hindlip Hall.

The new facility will also have a dedicated room to respond to major incidents.

West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner, John Campion, said: "We have to ensure policing is fit for the 21st century."

He continued: “I promised our communities I would improve police responses and work in partnership to achieve better value for public money.

"I also promised that I would reform and modernise West Mercia Police, giving its officers and staff the tools to do their jobs more effectively.

"This project demonstrates how I am delivering on those promises. It is a major step forward for our police and I will ensure this investment delivers the improvements our communities need. I look forward to it being delivered on time and on budget."

West Mercia Chief Constable, Anthony Bangham said: "The new OCC is a significant milestone in realising our vision for a completely modernised police force."

Chief Fire Officer Nathan Travis, from Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We anticipate that co-locating our fire control staff with the police will result in improved working relationships, the improved management of incidents through joint sharing of intelligence and data, and ultimately a better service for the public.”

It is anticipated work at both sites will be completed by the end of December 2017, with the new technology in place by 2018.

The sites will replace the existing OCC sites at Hindlip, Worcester, Battlefields in Shrewsbury and Leek Wootton in Warwickshire.

Fire control staff, who handle emergency calls will be co-located alongside police colleagues at the new OCC building.

The first spade was sunk in the former football field by 15-year-old schoolgirl Emily Stokes, who is involved in the Princes Trust, described by the chief constable Bangham as 'an inspiration to young people'.