A FORMER policeman, more used to dealing with armed gangs than weddings, has hung up his truncheon to look after brides and grooms on their special day.

Harry Campbell, 59, of Edgworth, became a Master of Ceremonies after leaving the police two years ago.

But the former Commander of Manchester City Centre said the gulf between the two jobs was not as significant as some would imagine. And many of the skills he developed in his long police career helped in his new line of work.

He said: "I used to plan for sporting events, terrorist attacks and escaped convicts and I use those planning skills to ensure that weddings run smoothly."

He said emergencies like the Manchester IRA bomb blast in 1996 help him cope with crises like the best man losing his speech.

Mr Campbell, of Vale Street, started the new role in May this year after a number of other jobs, including being a manager for the national census.

He is a member of the Northern Guild of Toastmasters and has attended a course at the London Guild.

Mr Campbell joined the police force in 1960 and said he had experienced all manner of events in his 40 year career.

He was on duty when the last two hangings took place on August 13 1964 and when prisoners at Manchester's Strangeways Prison rioted in 1990.

Mr Campbell said coping with weddings was not all that different It was all a matter of being prepared. That was why he carried a supply of ties, safety pins and draft speeches.

He said: "Weddings can be stressful and I try to take away the pressure so people can enjoy the day.

"They are special days that people remember for the rest of their lives so I try to ensure they go as smoothly as possible for all concerned.

"I take control of the event itself. I meet and greet people, deal with caterers and announce speeches and meals.

"With my previous experience I suppose I could even handle security matters if needed."

The former bobby also handles other events such as award ceremonies and dinners. His most recent job in East Lancs was Darwen Townswomen's Guild 50th anniversary dinner on September 10.

He can be reached on 01204 852213.

Harry's funniest police stories.

n Some officers went into a hairdressers to evacuate the shop just before the IRA bomb exploded in 1996. They were told by one of the staff that they couldn't leave because one of the clients had just had her hair dyed and that it would fall out if it was not rinsed. The officers drove the elderly woman through a car wash as a solution.

n Mr Campbell was working late at the morgue one night to finish some paperwork. It was about 2am in the middle of winter. He was finishing his work and was just about to tag the body when, all of a sudden, it sat up on the tray.

He panicked, nearly lost control of his bowels, and sped out of the building knocking everything over in his path.

After an hour walking around the car park trying to pluck up the courage to go back inside, he returned to find the body still upright. It had involuntarily sat up because of the wind in its body.

Mr Campbell then spent the next few minutes feverishly trying to bend the body back into place so nobody would know. It took him a year to tell his colleagues.

n An arrogant police officer that many hated was told to go into the morgue to play a trick on another colleague.

He walked into the fridge and opened up one of the empty trays when a body on a tray said: "I don't know about you mate, but it ain't half cold in here."

He ran out screaming.

...and some of the funniest wedding stories:

n A bridegroom was so nervous when he stood up to give his speech that he kept referring to his wife as a former girlfriend.

It took a person in the audience to shout out: "Your wife's called Jane!" for him to stop.

n The father of the bride who got so drunk that he refused to give his speech, and promptly fell asleep. They couldn't wake him, so snored through the rest of the speeches.

n Two mother-in-laws, who did not approve of each other, started fighting in the middle of the best man's speech. The other guests joined in soon after and refused to stop even when the police were called. They all spent the night in the cells, even the bride and groom who missed the flight for their honeymoon.