A PURPOSE-built hangar at Durham Tees Valley Airport is now providing a new home for the National Police Air Service’s (NPAS) Eurocopter.

The airport has been a base for police air support operations across the area for almost 20 years and the new hangar, built by Darlington-based steel specialists Prospan, has been provided under a five-year agreement between the airport and the NPAS.

Airport commercial director Andy Foulds said: “We are proud of the role which the airport has played in the development of police air services in the region and the fact that, when the NPAS was set up in 2012, we were chosen as one of the 23 strategic operations across England and Wales.

“The service has been a long-standing tenant and our investment means that, after using one of main hangars in the past, they now have facilities specially designed for their requirements - and the construction work was undertaken by a local company.”

Sergeant Dave Clark, base manager for the NPAS at Durham Tees Valley, added: “This hangar is a real improvement, which meets our needs.

“We are very happy to continue our long standing good relationship with Durham Tees Valley Airport into the future."

Durham Tees Valley is one of five bases providing services for the NPAS across the seven police force areas it serves within the North East region.