Secret plans to merge Helston's police and fire services into one building have been shelved - at least for now.

The Helston Packet can reveal that 2019 had been the year that the proposed merger would take place, but this is "not even on the table" anymore.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall, which manages the force's buildings across the region, confirmed that "there are no plans at Helston at all at the moment."

It means a reprieve for the historic Helston Police Station in Godolphin Road, built in 1902, which has already seen its public front desk close, back in January 2011.

A spokesperson from the office of Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner, said: "The plan originally was to move on from that building and co-locate, probably with fire, but it's not even on the table.

"It could be three, four, five years - it's not even in discussion at the moment.

"Even in the long-term, we wouldn't be going anywhere. There will be a police presence in Helston. It's really not being discussed, there are no plans at all."

He added: "As a general rule we have always said, certainly since Alison Hernandez was elected, that if there was a police presence in a town it would never be removed.

"That might mean we might close an existing station and move somewhere else or redevelop an existing centre, but a police presence would never be removed."

The news that proposed changes to town's police station were no longer happening was revealed by Helston North Cornwall councillor Mike Thomas at the last meeting of the town council.

He told members: "I did speak to the chief constable of Devon and Cornwall Police about the police station and he said the are no plans; 2019 was the date we'd been told, but there are no plans on the table.

"It doesn't mean it won't happen, but at the moment nothing is happening - at least in the near future."

It remains a time of change for Devon and Cornwall Police, which is currently in discussions with Dorset Police about a possible merger.

Devon and Cornwall Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer said only this week that austerity had had to make "significant reductions" in its operating budget over recent years, leading to a "strain upon the force" and that pooling resources would give "much greater resilience and flexibility."

A public survey about the changes can be filled in online at futurepolicing.co.uk until August 27.