BOBBIES at Bispham police station are praying two of their colleagues don't get promotion.

For then they'll have to answer to Sgt Andy Sergeant and Sgt Andy Sargent.

The latter - the shorter and younger of the two constables - started at Bispham a week ago where the former has worked for the past three years.

And to make matters worse, they have been given adjoining beats.

PC Sergeant, 39, - the one with the moustache - explained: "The control room can usually tell which one of us a member of the public needs to speak to when they mention the area, but we each have half of Holmfield Road and Warbreck Road to cover so that's where there could be a problem."

For PC Sargent, 30, the coincidence isn't a new one.

It cropped up when he was stationed at Blackburn and served under another Sgt Sergeant.

Both their father's were also in the police force, with PC Sargent's dad making it to the rank of a detective sergeant.

"The situation is quite common," he said.

"There can be a problem with mixed-up bits of paperwork but it's not that bad."

Thankfully, neither have any plans to move up a rank at the moment, but how do they intend to combat any future problems?

"We could use collar numbers but people seem to find these difficult to remember," said PC Sergeant.

"We will probably settle for using senior and junior after our names."

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