BOURNEMOUTH Airport's police helicopter base has survived a national round of cuts.

The National Police Air Service has confirmed five of its 20 bases will be closed by April 2017.

It had been feared the custom made base at the airfield in Christchurch would have to be closed just two months after it was unveiled.

The review of resources came after the new national service took over responsibility for the helicopter service, previously provided by Dorset Police and based at Winfrith.

The service's chief superintendant, Ian Whitehouse, said: "NPAS needs to find further substantial financial savings with a target of 14 per cent of revenue cuts over the next three years. This is on top of the 23 per cent savings already made.

"Local police forces facing similar savings are looking at how they rationalise their estate and ways of operating and NPAS is no different in this regard.

"There is no easy way of doing this and difficult decisions have to be made.”