FORENSIC police work for Northumberland will be based in County Durham as the two police forces merge their services.

Durham Constabulary and Northumbria Police have announced a joint forensic service with its headquarters at Peterlee in County Durham.

However crime scene investigators will remain at stations across Northumberland.

The first phase in merging forensic services at the two forces will begin this week. The move is anticipated to be completed by winter 2017 and appears to be a cost-cutting move.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Vera Baird said: “By sharing resources and pooling expertise we will improve our forensic provision and the service we deliver to the public.

“And, importantly, we will do so at a reduced cost. I am determined to make savings wherever possible to allow us to re-invest all savings back into Northumbria Police.”

Forensic services provide scientific support, such as crime scene investigation and finger print and footwear analysis, to criminal investigations.

The new facility will cover investigations from Berwick upon Tweed to Darlington.

Both Durham Constabulary and Northumbria Police insist the quality of service will not suffer.

Detective Superintendent Christina Barrett, from Northumbria Police, said: “We already have an excellent forensic services team here at Northumbria and by joining up with the skilled team at Durham we will have access to a wider range of skills and numbers of investigators.”