DURHAM police have employed a new director of finance, who will help steer a drastic, countywide restructuring of the force.

When Patrick Melia takes up his role as Durham Constabulary's new director of finance and administration on September 1, one of the first challenges he will face will be implementing the recently announced restructuring of the force.

Under the blueprint, the six existing divisions will be replaced with two areas, one with head-quarters in Chester-le-Street, the other in the south of the county, in Darlington. Each geographical area of County Durham and Darlington will then be overseen by 13 uniformed inspectors.

A total of 100 more beat officers will be put into community policing.

In all, Mr Melia, 35, will have responsibility of an annual budget of nearly £96m.

He said: "The force review is clearly a major challenge.

"My main point of focus will be how best it can be put into place and how I can help deliver ever more effective local policing by freeing up the money to make it possible."

Mr Melia has three daughters. In his spare time is an amateur athletics coach.

For the past three years he has been in charge of Northumbria Probation Service.