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A new police chief has taken over in Haverhill today, but it is more of a homecoming for Insp Peter Ferrie, who spent ten years here as a PC.

Insp Ferrie said he was 'delighted' to be back in Haverhill, partly because he lives in west Suffolk and partly because he knows and likes the town.

"I had a wonderful ten years here before and it's great to be back," he said.

"From my initial impression the town has improved no end since I was here before.It's a different town with better facilities and better shops."

He takes over from Insp Chris Galley in a straight job swap with his former post at force headquarters.

At present the job is to head the Safer Neighbourhood Team for Haverhill and for the rural south of St Edmundsbury, the Clare area.

But from the beginning of next year he will also assume responsibility for the response unit based at Haverhill, thus ending the current situation where policing in the town is governed by two different inspectors.

"It's good because it will mean Haverhill officers dealing with Haverhill issues," he said.

His main aim is to build on the work of the town's SNT which he described as 'a cracking team' and which has won a string of awards over recent years.

"It's a very high performing SNT and I will be looking to carry that on," he said, "and also introduce some national best practice to Haverhill."

He should know because one of his previous roles was developing SNTs across Suffolk and it involved him in travelling all over the country seeing how other forces work.

Insp Ferrie is the latest in a long string of new police chiefs in Haverhill but he expects to stay longer than some of his predecessors.

"I don't think I'll be leaving here unless I get promoted and they are not promoting to chief inspector at the moment, so I should be here a while," he said.