Falmouth's top policeman has warned people to expect to see frontline services hit as government cutbacks begin to bite.

Inspector Mark Richards was addressing a full meeting of Falmouth Town Council on Monday evening when he issued his stark warning.

However, he assured authority members that he and his staff would continue to provide a quality service for the town.

Insp Richards, who began his career in the police force as a PC 26 years ago, became the inspector for Falmouth and Truro in March.

He told the meeting: “The fact is that the savings Devon and Cornwall has to make will equate to taking 700 police officers and 500 unsworn staff out of the force.

“If you hear anyone saying that these cuts will not affect frontline services, then take it with a pinch of salt, because they will.

“The changes will take officers, staff and vehicles away from us.”

He added: “We are having to change the way we work, and are trying to put resources in the right place at the right time.

“In the old days we could throw as many officers as it needed to smother a problem, but when you remove 20 per cent of the staff you can’t do that.

“However, I know the staff here now are committed to do their job as well as they can with whatever resources they have got.”