Inspector Andy Bellman has promised a return to visible policing after replacing Inspector Jack Griffin, who left in March to take a job at Loddon Valley police station.

He told us: “I am very aware that West Reading has lacked a visible police presence for some time and I am here to inform you that our experimental invisible officers will be redeployed. Although we felt invisible policing was a great success, because citizens couldn't actually see our officers patrolling, many of them assumed that instead of patroling the Dee Road estate, they'd popped off to London to join the Met.

"Rest assured that we will be returning to a more community based approach and Sergeant Peter Parker will be based in the Tilehurst water tower providing protection to the whole of west Reading using his tingly spider-sense.”