A POLICE officer who has become one of Leigh's best known faces on his town centre beat has been given a top honour.

Constable Stephen Gaskell, who was born in Leigh and brought up a quarter of a mile from the police station, has been awarded the Wigan Metropolitan Borough Trophy.

His dedicated policing of the town centre in all weathers has earned a special place in the heart of townsfolk and won him the award of the special miner's lamp given every year to the borough's top community bobby.

After being presented with his trophy by chief constable of Greater Manchester David Wilmot and mayor Joan Hurst, PC Gaskell said: "I feel very pleased that all the work you put in gets recognised by the police force and everybody that has selected me to win the award."

The father-of-two has been the community beat officer for Leigh town centre for the past 12 years and is a familiar sight to shoppers and traders.

The 49-year-old was instrumental in the formation of the Leigh Shopwatch scheme which promotes the close liaison between police and local traders.

He has been responsible for resurrecting the town's pub watch scheme and has helped other officers establish several smaller schemes around the town centre.

He is a committed member of local crime prevention groups including the town centre risk management group and the community risk management and street trader groups. For the past seven years, he has regularly given up much of his spare time to teach children personal safety issues at Leigh Rugby Club as part of the joint initiative with the club along with the Coalfield Challenge group, the education authority and Leigh schools.

A former pupil of Bedford High School, he worked as an engineer before he joined the police and will be celebrating 20 years with the force in May.

He said: "I was born and brought up in Leigh and I know the people. The majority are decent people and willing to help the police."

Praising PC Gaskell on his award, Chief constable David Wilmot said: "He has fostered and maintained an excellent relationship within his community and his local knowledge is second to none.

"Constable Gaskell is highly respected by the community and his colleagues and peers alike and has shown himself to be an effective and committed area constable."