With 1,260 officers, Cumbria is well below the 4,000 Home Office target for "stand-alone" forces.

Plans are for it to be merged with Lancashire or become part of a combined force with Lancashire and Merseyside.

The force will undertake a study to see which is the best option, submitting it to the Home Office by 23 December.

'Critical change'

Chief Constable, Michael Baxter, said: "We are pleased with the feedback from the Home Office, it enables us to focus on the next stage.

"The restructuring process is without question the most critical change for policing for more than 30 years.

"It is essential that we build a police service for the future to best serve and protect the communities of Cumbria."

Cumbria is the second largest county in England by area and while its population is just under half a million, it attracts over 23 million visitors each year.

A poll of 1,000 people in the county revealed 72% were satisfied with the local policing provided. More than a quarter, 26%, supported the proposal of Cumbria merging with another county although 43% strongly opposed any merger.