Former police and crime commissioner candidate Rupert Moss-Eccardt expressed astonishment tonight at the temporary closure of the inquiry office at Ely police station.

Mr Moss-Eccardt said the reasons given "do surprise and astonish me. Surely if someone is off sick there is someone else who could deputise?"

Cambridgeshire police confirmed earlier today that the inquiry office remains temporarily closed and will only re-open "once the member of staff returns to work".

"The rest of the station is still working as usual," said a police spokesman. "The yellow phone is still available to use outside of the station and appointments are still being taken.

"At this stage, there is no fixed date but it will be re-opened as soon as possible."

Residents were told that the station had two support staff running the public inquiry office but one has recently relocated to another city for personal reasons and the other is off stick.

Mr Moss-Eccardt said: "Realistically you'd think they would have enough people to cope with illness."