A POLICEMAN has gone back to school to help forge stronger links with the community from his new classroom base.

PC Mark Skellorn, 31, became the first officer in Lancashire to establish a base in a school when he took up his role at the beginning of the new term at Norden High School in Rishton.

Nearly 100 similar schemes have been set up nationwide.

The idea is to provide a base where people can contact him and tell him about problems in the area.

PC Skellhorn will spend up to three quarters of an hour each day at the school, taking calls from the public and making appointments to see them, at the school if necessary or at Great Harwood Police Station.

He will also alternate his shift patterns to tackle specific problems.

Acting Inspector Neil Howarth, of Great Harwood Police, said the school was a point of contact for people, though most of the time PC Skellhorn would be out on foot patrol.

Visitors would have to go via the school receptionist in order to see him, posing no threat to the children, he said. "It's no different to people going to see the headteacher or any other teacher.

"The whole idea of it is to make the police, and in particular the community beat managers, as accessible as possible.

"People say they want to see police officers on the street and this is one way of doing that.

"The school was ideal. It's accessible and they offered some facilities for Mark. We are just building on the good relationship he had with the school."

Denise Parkinson, headteacher at the school, said: "It's not for people to come here to be arrested. There will not be any threat to the children's safety.

"There is no way we would have gone ahead if there was any suggestion of it."

PC Skellhorn, who lives near Blackburn, began his police career in the town before moving to Great Harwood and later Rishton.

As well as being a tutor constable he has also trained in the delivery of the force's drug education programme Choices.

He said: "I have been involved in policing Rishton for some time now and am pleased to have the chance to help form stronger community relations in the town.

"It is important that the police engage with young people in order to tackle and prevent juvenile problems at an early age and prevent those youngsters from committing crime.

"The school, which is well regarded in the town and provides a perfect environment for this."

Mrs Parkinson added: "I am proud that Norden is one of the first schools to become involved with this new initiative.

"We value our links with the local community and I feel that everyone stands to benefit from having PC Skellorn based here."

Mark will also be involved with local primary schools in Rishton.

PC Skellhorn can be contacted by calling his voicemail at the school on 01254 353117.