A TOP East Lancashire traffic cop has landed two awards for a road safety video he made after the death of his dad in a motorbike accident.

Inspector Dave Mangan, head of road policing for Lancashire police’s East Division, scooped a national honour from the Event and Visual Communication Association.

And the 43-year-old, from Turton, also won the silver prize at the Cannes Corporate Media and TV Awards for Informational Films for his film Mike’s Last Ride.

Insp Mangan’s father Mike, 72, died following a collision in Somerset last September, just 10 miles from the end of his 320-mile journey.

Mr Mangan’s family believe that tiredness was a contributory factor in his death, and Insp Mangan, who was with his father at the time of the accident, was inspired to make the film to offer advice on how riders can stay safe on the roads.

He said: “I created this short film to raise awareness in the biking community regarding the dangers of riding when you are tired and the risks bikers face when they make decisions at the end of the day.

“The response to our film both from bikers and members of the public has been fantastic and to then be recognised by national and international awards is amazing.

“My family and I are still trying to come to terms with what happened. We miss him every day but it is so rewarding to see something so positive coming out of such a personal tragedy and we are so grateful for everyone’s support.

“I’m hoping these awards will help to further raise the profile of our campaign and that the film continues to send a reminder that it doesn’t matter how experienced you are – riding whilst tired can have serious or even fatal consequences.”

Mr Mangan’s death, which happened when he collided with an oncoming vehicle whilst overtaking on his BMW 1200RT, was recorded as an accidental death by a coroner.

Lancashire County Councillor John Fillis, cabinet member for highways and transport said: "On behalf of the Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety I'd like to congratulate Dave on these awards, and thank him for approaching the partnership with his idea for a film.”