Police in Calne lifted the lid on their brand new police station as they were joined by local school children for the official opening ceremony.

The new building, which has been completed ahead of time and come in £150,000 under budget, will return officers to Calne after they spent eight months working from Chippenham police station and the town hall.

Chief Constable Brian Moore told those attending that the new facility was a vast improvement on the previous building.

He said: “The old building had hardly any facilities for people to come in and talk to police officers.

“But the new station is open. I hope it is welcoming, I hope it is somewhere people feel they can walk in and talk.”

Police Authority chairman Christopher Hoare officially opened the building and said funding to build the station was approved in the nick of time. He said: “We got it in just under the wire before the Government brought in further restrictions.

“I’m pleased to say it was finished under budget and ahead of time which is rare for public buildings.”

Pupils from Holy Trinity School joined in the celebrations by burying a time capsule in the grounds containing items representing their school, Calne, the UK and the world in 2010.

Teacher Jane Brown said pupils had helped choose what went in.

She said: “We wanted to include items which represented popular culture in Britain today.”

Officers marked the official opening of their new home by cutting a cake in the shape of a policeman’s helmet made by Calne cake maker Trudy Mitchell.