A POLICE officer has thanked the community in Padgate and Fearnhead for its help during his 10 years on the beat after leaving his role.

Community support officer Mark Culleton has joined Merseyside Police as a police constable after a decade covering Poulton North.

The now former PCSO said: “The support from everyone in Poulton North in the past 10 years has been brilliant, from the councillors to staff in the library to shopkeepers and volunteers at Fearnhead Cross Centre to people in the schools.

“I was 23 when I started covering the area – it feels like a long time ago now and you collect a lot of memories over a 10-year period.

“I’ll miss the area and the force immensely – there have been a lot of cards and well-wishers which has been nice.

“For my 10 years of service, I just wanted to say thank you to all the community groups.”