WILTSHIRE Police are carrying out their dog and firearms training in an empty school building in Marlborough.

The former St John’s School, in Chopping Knife Lane, is disused now that the town’s new £26 million school is open on one site.

But the empty buildings are now providing the opportunity for Wiltshire’s finest to brush up on their skills.

The buildings are due to be demolished in March to make way for a forthcoming phase of the 169-home Crest Nicholson’s St John’s Park development.

Until then German shepherds, rottweilers and malinois, or Belgian shepherds, will be training there several times a week.

The dogs are being trained to locate a person, who may be trapped or hidden, and on finding them alert their handler to their presence by barking. This could be a missing person or child who has disappeared as well as suspects who may be hiding. The opportunity has providing the dogs and their handlers with a realistic experience.

Bob Pocock, the head of the police’s dog section, said: “We are committed to reducing levels of vandalism and other forms of anti-social behaviour throughout the county.

“This scheme will not only act as a deterrent but will provide the police with large buildings in which to train our dogs, which we are very grateful for.

“This scheme is an excellent example of how we can work together with the business and local community to combat crime.”

Laura Osborne, sales manager for Crest Nicholson’s St John’s Park development, said: “We pride ourself on not only building top quality homes, but also creating communities that people aspire to live in.

“Wiltshire Police do a very commendable job across the county so we were very happy to be able to offer these premises for them to carry out this vital training. This training has also been beneficial to the site helping to keep the school building safe while it has been empty.”