A BURNLEY beat cop has won a prestigious award for her community work in one of the town's most deprived areas.

PC Susan Sanderson, who works in Daneshouse and Stoneyholme, has won the force's Pauline Clare Community Police Officer of the Year 2006 title.

Sgt Martin Selway, of Burnley police, said: "Susan has implemented a Walking Bus' for primary school children, and she monitors all crime and disorder problems herself.

"Through her commitment, the drug problems within the area have been successfully reduced by using information received from the residents to focus on, and then target local addresses and, where necessary, execute warrants "The community benefits from regular surgeries, held by Susan, and she runs a successful Police and Communities Together panel.

"She has even allowed her mobile telephone number to be published, making her available at any time of the day."

Other Lancashire police officers were presented with awards during a special ceremony at County Hall, Preston.

They included officers from Blackburn's ethnic minorities team, who won an award for their work in the diversity field.

But the main winner was PC Sanderson, taking the award named after Lancashire's first woman chief constable for the work on her beat, which is among the top one per cent of deprived wards in the country.

Acting Chief Constable Steve Finnigan said: "These awards are designed to reward staff who have made outstanding contributions to our neighbourhood policing teams."