Calls have been made to reopen Alton Police Station following several violent incidents in the town centre in recent weeks.

Hampshire Police, however, say statistics suggest violent crime is not worse in Alton than any other comparable town.

At around 1am on Saturday, April 26, a fight involving approximately 10 people broke out at the junction of High Street and Draymans Way. A woman in her 60s sustained head injuries during the incident.

Earlier in the month, on April 11, police were called to Waitrose on Station Road following reports of youths smashing bottles and fighting inside the store. A related altercation was also reported in the nearby railway station car park.

Alton town councillor Matthew Kellermann said: “Altonians frequently talk to me about ‘feeling unsafe’ on our streets and how, in their opinion, more needs to be done.”

Alton Police Station closed in May 2017, although local policing teams have remained active in the town.

“I would suggest there is a very strong case to reinstate a proper police station,” said Cllr Kellermann.

“This would act as a deterrent and provide a base from which the hardworking officers could provide responses to the many incidents Altonians experience.”

Chief Inspector Alex Charge, East Hampshire district commander, said the recent violent incidents were “all isolated in nature and are being investigated separately with ongoing enquiries”.

If the recent house fire deaths of pensioners Stan and Roma Rickman are taken into account, “this was the most number of incidents of serious violence we have seen in the town in a month since last summer,” he added.

“There are no patterns of behaviour linking these reports that require a wider response. Indeed, in March, there were no reports of serious violence in Alton.”

Anyone with information about the April 26 incident is urged to contact police on 101, quoting reference 44250180512.