Determined officers who tackled the theft of valuable York stone flags from churches in West Lancashire have won a POP (Problem Oriented Policing) Award for their 'innovative approach' to the case.

On Wednesday, officers from across the county attended Constabulary HQ to deliver presentations showcasing their hard work and commitment to tackling crime and keeping communities safe.

Winners were PCs Fiona Rowe and Megan Boon who entered in the 'Police Now' and 'Student Officers' category, acting after a series of large scale thefts of York stone flags within four weeks.

Police bosses praised their multi-layered partnership approach included cross border working and targeting of offenders, location mapping, property marking, crime prevention measures, and proactive patrols. They also launched a social and national media campaign and established a ‘Church watch’ scheme, which contributed to a significant reduction in reported thefts.

DCC Sacha Hatchett said: “I am really proud of our officers and police staff who continuously apply innovative approaches to problem solving to keep our communities safe.

“The quality of submissions has been of an exceptionally high standard this year and I and the rest of the judges were extremely impressed with all of the category winners.”

The winners will attend the National Problem Solving Conference at Burton-on-Trent later this year.

Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden said: "The Problem Solving Awards are a fantastic opportunity for officers, staff and partner agencies to come together, share best practice and celebrate innovative ways of working and fighting crime.

“The event highlighted some fantastic projects, showcasing officers and staff going above and beyond to tackle crime and to make Lancashire safer."