The head of the South Yorkshire Police Authority has criticsed the government's decision to remove the force's helicopter.

The authority's chairman, Charles Perryman, said the policing minister was using 'a heavy hand' to impose a 'substantially less good service'.

The helicopter will be be grounded as part of plans to introduce a national air service.

South Yorkshire Police will now have to use helicopters based in Derbyshire, West Yorkshire and Humberside, and was the only force to formally object to the proposals.

Minister Nick Herbert said he would use his statutory powers to enforce the change, which is claimed will save £15 per year.

The government claimed that the current response rate, which sees 97% of the population receive air support in 20 minutes, would not be affected.

Mr Perryman said: "We want a police helicopter to be based in South Yorkshire to maintain an effective and resilient air support for the county.

"We don't disagree with the NPAS proposals, in principle, but we require reassurances from government that the national scheme will not reduce services to the county.

"This is not marginal. There is a substantial difference in what we are currently delivering with the helicopter and what we could do if we went into the national service."

A message posted by the helicopter crew on the air unit's Twitter page said: "Thank you all for the support you are showing and giving us, it means a great deal to all the staff that work here."