LANCASHIRE'S most senior special constable has decided to hang up his boots and retire after 26 years.

David Hutton who lives in Pheasant Wood Drive, Cleveleys, has been acting head of Lancashire's Special Constabulary for the past two years.

Before that, he spent nine years as staff officer to the chief commandant and four years as divisional officer in charge of the area covering Fleetwood, Thornton, Poulton, Cleveleys, Kirkham, Lytham and St Annes.

David, 54, recalled the days when he first joined the Specials and worked on the patrol section at Thornton and Fleetwood:

"Those were very busy days," he said.

"Fleetwood, of course, was much busier than it is now.

"It was a major port and when the trawlers were in dock we needed as many extra patrols as we could turn out, especially when the crews had been paid and they hit the local pubs."

David also recalled the time Fleetwood was flooded in the 70s: "We specials spent long shifts in boats ferrying people to and from their homes. It was a very testing time for us all."

Now retired, David worked at British Aerospace and worked on major projects overseas in the Saudi department.

He hopes to spend more time on his hobbies of philately and history - he is currently vice-chairman of the Poulton Historical Society.

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