MID CHESHIRE's opposition MPs have welcomed a state-ment that could crush plans to merge Cheshire police with Merseyside.

But the local Labour representative believes the government could push ahead with the proposal - even extending it to combat terrorism.

Congleton MP Lady Anne Winterton, Eddisbury MP Stephen O'Brien (both Conservative) and Weaver Vale's Labour MP Mike Hall spoke to the Chronicle after Home Office minister Tony McN-ulty said that 'the definitive answer' whether mergers would take place is 'no'.

Lady Winterton said: 'On behalf of my constituents I opposed the merger with Merseyside and I'm very relieved that the plan has been shelved in the short term. It would have meant major resources would be taken away from Cheshire and given to Merseyside.'

Mr O'Brien said: 'On behalf of my constituents it is a great relief that the work I and the other MPs who campaigned against this proposal put in has borne fruit.

'Despite the government's attempts to wriggle in their increasingly futile attempts to save face, I am delighted they have at last had the sense to realise the forced merger between Cheshire and Merseyside was always to the detriment of Cheshire.'

Plans to merge a number of national police forces were developed by former Home Secretary Charles Clarke to respond to terrorism.

But the plans were unpopular in Cheshire, where protestors argued they would actually reduce security as officers would be called into the inner city areas of Merseyside.

Mr O'Brien said: 'Mr Clarke admitted that this was a policy designed to attack terrorism primarily, but the case was never satisfactorily made that creating new regional superstructures would deliver the goods.'

Cheshire Police's opposition to the merger seemed to pay dividends in June when Home Secretary John Reid agreed to delay the plans, but last week's developments were seen as the final nail in the proposals' coffin.

Cheshire Police Authority's chief executive Mark Selwood said: 'We understand that last Friday, following discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Home Secretary has decided to postpone indefinitely any mergers. It looks as if there won't be any mergers in the near future and it's back to the drawing board.

'As far as the police authority and the chairman of the police authority are concerned it's good news. Hopefully Cheshire Police Authority will continue and be around for many years to come.'

However, Weaver Vale MP Mike Hall echoed Tony Blair in arguing that changes to local police structure would still go ahead.

He said: 'It's total nonsense to say this won't happen. The Home Secretary has said that the merger of Cheshire and Merseyside police forces will go ahead - no longer by dictat, but John Reid wants to reform the agreed measures to meet level two crimes such as terrorism.

'There are issues to be addressed, including council tax and the maintenance of current levels of community policing, but we need to deliver the best possible policing system for the North West of England.'