Recorded crime in Dawlish this summer fell by 11 per cent compared with last year according to the man on the beat, PC Kev Parsons.

Last Wednesday he told a meeting of town councillors that in July and August there had been little to report, a situation he was very happy with.

'That's it, end of story, it's as simple as that,' he said.

Incidents during regatta week had also been few and far between with just five recorded crimes.

PC Parsons said one had been attributable to someone with mental health problems, three were assaults among youths and another was an assault on an adult, the result of which was that one person had been arrested and later released on bail pending further questioning.

The lack of problems, PC Parsons suggested, was down to having up to 20 uniformed officers on the beat at any one time.

'I think it works. Having police on the streets actually works and I shall be passing that message back to Insp Chris Shaw,' he said.

PC Parsons revealed there had been one complaint against the police during the carnival.

It had been made by a member of the public who objected to officers eating ice cream on duty.

'Well I was one of them and Insp Shaw was another,' chuckled PC Parsons.

Members were also updated on the new high street office, dubbed the 'cop shop', which is planned for a former sandwich bar on Brunswick Terrace and which will replace the police office in the community hospital.

PC Parsons said it was due to open 'this calendar year' but cautioned against thinking it would be a regular police station, open all day for residents to call in and see him and his four colleagues.

'The more time I spend in that office the less time I spend in the community,' he said.

PC Parsons and the team who policed the carnival were formally offered the thanks of the town council.