A £5,000 car used to fight crime in Westhoughton is to be kept – after a dramatic u-turn from police chiefs.

Officers policing the area have used the hire car to move about in the town for the last three years.

But the car, which is donated by Westhoughton Town Council, looked set to be taken away from the Westhoughton police after police bosses said sponsored police vehicles were to be stopped.

But Bolton South neighbourhood policing team have now been able to reapply for funding, which the town council has delightedly provided.

Insp Christopher Evans welcomed the town council's gesture as the move would have left Westhoughton officers without a car.

GMP does not provide its own funding for hire cars.

Insp Evans said: "There has been a change of heart, why I don't know.

"The main thing is that it has been overturned and the town council continue to think that this is a good idea.

"Vehicles are getting even more difficult to find with the budget cuts to police.

"A lot of people might be surprised that not all officers have a vehicle to use.

"This will really help the Westhoughton officers get from one end of the town to the other and investigate crime."

The town council unanimously approved the £5,000 grant at a meeting last week.

Cllr David Chadwick said: "When I approached the inspector this year to ask them if they wanted money I was told the police had decided they did not want to.

"I held on to the money and was told that there had been a change of heart.

"We want to help the police prevent crime in Westhoughton and this is a valuable tool for them.

"The car will be kept in Farnworth because the police sign on there, but Inspector Evans is an excellent police officer who is very experienced and he will organise his resources and officers in the most appropriate away."