PEOPLE have reacted with shock after Bolton's custody suite closed its doors earlier this week.

As reported, people arrested in the town will now be directed to custody suites at neighbouring stations and the location of the arrest will determine where they are sent to.

The suite, at Bolton Police Station, in Scholey Street, Burnden, will only be used for custody cases in 'exceptional circumstances'.

Scores of people took to The Bolton News' Facebook page and website to express their disbelief and concern over the move.

Marilyn Hart said: "As Bolton is the biggest town in the country surely it should be the focal point for the smaller towns in the borough."

People arrested in Horwich and Blackrod, Horwich North East, Westhoughton North and Westhoughton South will now be sent to Wigan.

Bolton town centre, Heaton and Lostock, Farnworth, Kearsley, Little Lever, Harper Green and Hulton cases will be handled in Swinton.

Bury custody suite will handle Smithills, Astley Bridge, Bromley Cross, Bradshaw, Crompton, Tonge and the Haulgh and Breightmet.

Kim Bury branded the decision 'just ridiculous' and added that a town as big as Bolton needs a police station.

Solicitors have previously voiced their concerns about the move, talking about the incredible inconvenience for them and officers.

Nick Ross, of Russell and Russell Solicitors, said that the move is 'bad news' and added that a lot of police man hours would be lost as a result of the move.

He added that the decision is down to economics.

Gaynor Van Den Berg said on Facebook: "This is shocking. Barely any petty crime gets investigated these days. Things are going to get much worse."

'General Custer' posting, commenting on The Bolton News website, added: "This spells the end of Bolton town centre policing all patrol and response times will be dramatically disrupted by personnel who will be either, en route or out of town,dealing with arrests. Currently around the town the policing is being covered now by community support officers in patrol cars with no power of arrest,overall it makes very sad reading for the people of this town.

They added that it will slow down judicial progress, affecting the victim along the way and that it will leave policing in the town 'shambolic'.

The Scholey Street station opened a decade ago with 19 cells, replacing the force’s previous Howell Croft North base and boasting a modern custody suite with expanded cell capacity.

Since the end of February the public inquiry counter at Scholey Street has been operating shortened opening hours – 8am to 8pm on weekdays and 10am to 6pm on weekends.

The station has the only manned reception in the borough since the desk in Horwich closed.

More people joined the outcry over the decision, Tracey Earp said 'this is just stupid' and Annette Marie Dwyer added that the decision was 'unbelievable'.

Linda White commented that it was 'disgusting', and Janet Gibson labelled the move 'disgraceful'.

Andy Jardine said: "Absolute disgrace. This is worrying."

William Greenhalgh added: "What's the point, just going to make other stations overcrowded and overworked plus add petrol bills."

Police have moved to reassure residents that there will be no change to the the service they provide.

Superintendent Chris Hankinson said: “We are dealing with more people through forms of restorative justice and alternatives to custody. With the changes to local policing, which have focused on having one officer to take charge of the case, we will see shorter times in custody.

“There isn’t a need for the number of cells that we have and following on from a review into the use of our custody suite at our station on Scholey Street in Bolton a decision has now been made for this to close. The station will however be on standby in order to manage one off events or to support short term closures of other sites.

“I would like to take this opportunity to reassure the people of Greater Manchester that the service that we provide will not be affected. We will continue to prioritise working with partner agencies to intervene at the earliest opportunity to try and divert people from ending up in the criminal justice system and to reduce the likelihood of reoffending.”

Many people are concerned about the move stretching police even further in the town.

Lynsey Taylor Grundy said: "So the bobbies on shift have to go off section to transport their prisoner to a custody suite outside of Bolton depleting our already sparse presence in our town. Great thinking....not."

Jackie Harrison supported her view.

She said: " All people arrested for anything in Bolton at weekend will now be taken to Swinton taking bobbies off the beat at weekend nights just when they are needed, disgusting."

More residents also weighed in with their views on the issue.

Susan Murray said that it was 'very sad news', Pauline Saxon labelled it 'disgusting' and Lucey Pollard added the move is 'such a waste of resources'.

On the The Bolton News website, Disbelieverbolton said: "I thought common sense would prevail here but this is appalling. Where is our moneybags going ? Wigan, bury? We pay towards the police through council tax so we are paying for a service we don't get."

Sausagesandeggs added: "The police are so overworked all they are left to do is pick up the pieces of crime. There is no deterrent or prevention that police forces in the country can provide."

Commenter OS1 said that 'we need the custody office' and that 'the officers have to go there too taking them away from Bolton for longer periods'.

When a review into the custody suite was first announced in March, Rahil Khan, a director at AFG Law called the proposals outrageous and also raised concerns about officers being off the streets and said it meant 'less protection for the people of Bolton'.

Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton South East and a shadow justice minister, said that she thought 'we need a custody suite here' and that it is only right that they are taken to the nearest station.

She added: "This would also mean the cost of police officers travelling to and from other police stations would be higher — both the financial implication of that and the loss of time that could be spent in Bolton.

“It doesn’t sound like the best use of resources.”