AN HISTORIC police station should be turned into a library and museum to save the building, the Chipping Norton town mayor has said.

Thames Valley Police last month announced plans to sell the town’s Victorian station in London Road and move to a more efficient building.

But town mayor Mike Tysoe said he feared the town could lose the building if the police sell it off.

Instead, he said, the force should hand the building, which was built in the late 1800s, to the town.

He said the library and museum could move in and police could switch to the library building in Goddards Lane.

He said: “It’s the last remaining original, purpose-built Cotswold-stone police station.

“It’s an historic building that should be kept. We would love to have it for a library and museum.”

The police force, which currently pays £70,000 a year to maintain the town station, has promised Chipping Norton will not see a loss of service following the move.

Thames Valley Police did not respond to a request for a comment.