KENT will continue to have its own "stand-alone" police force, it has been announced by the Home Office.

Kent, Hampshire and Thames Valley have all won "a reprieve" in the merger shake-up of some forces and will remain as they are.

But the number of police forces in England and Wales will be slashed from 43 to 24, it has been revealed.

In the East Midlands, five existing constabularies will merge to form one "super force".

Two other new forces will be created from six existing county forces in the east of England, and Surrey and Sussex will also merge.

Following a meeting with the Home Secretary Charles Clarke, Kent Police Authority chair Ann Barnes and Chief Constable Mike Fuller welcomed the announcement that Kent should be reconfigured as a single strategic police force.

Mrs Barnes said: "We have always believed that this is the right decision for the policing of Kent and we were confident in our strong case for the county to continue to have its own police force."

Mr Fuller said: "The Home Secretary has clearly recognised our ability to provide what are termed as protective services, including dealing with major and organised crime, counter-terrorism and strategic roads policing."