POLICE chiefs have pledged to tidy up an abandoned police station which neighbours have dubbed an eyesore.

Hound Parish Council has repeatedly asked Hampshire Constabulary to do more to maintain Netley's former village police station in New Road, which was closed early in 2001 in a shake-up of policing in Eastleigh's Southern Parishes.

Despite repeated pleas, the building has been left boarded up and neglected while police bosses searched for a buyer for the site that already has planning permission for five homes.

Now force bosses have vowed to act within the next fortnight.

Seven months ago the force said it was in the final stages of selling off the land and that it would be a waste of public money to tidy up when it was going to be bulldozed.

After months of inactivity, parish council vice-chairman Mike Parker renewed the plea for action.

He said: "Despite repeated requests from both parish and borough councillors nothing seems to be done. I know local government works very slowly, but four years is a bit OTT.

"Representations have been made plus phone calls and letters, but all we get is the response that the sale is in the final stages.

"The people that live along here are saddened and fed up with seeing what was once quite a beautiful building just rotting away. People are just sick and tired of the situation."

Mr Parker said that yobs had pulled away boarding at the rear of the building and smashed windows, while the garden was an overgrown eyesore.

A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman told the Daily Echo: "The sale fell through and we are reviewing the marketing strategy for selling the site."

But she added: "Within the next two weeks the site will be completely tidied."