THE family of a former Warrington bobby have donated his 1911 Coronation Medal to the force museum.

PC Samuel Gilchrist received the official medal in 1911 and his 86-year-old son, Tom, and grandson, Ian, went to the Arpley Street museum this week to hand over the memorabilia.

The pair were also given a tour of the museum, featured in last week's Warrington Guardian, by curator Peter Wroe.

Tom said: "The museum is fantastic and I'm glad Ian brought me along to see it.

"I wasn't expecting anything like this and it is nice to see where my father used to work."

Mr Wroe added: "It is important for memorabilia like this to be kept and looked after because it's our heritage which we need to preserve for future generations."

The father and son were also shown the location of the old parade room and the cells that PC Gilchrist would have used.

Born in March 1876, PC Gilchrist joined Warrington Borough Police as it was known in November 1899, and left in October 1911 through ill health.

As well as his medal, the family brought a photograph of PC Gilchrist driving an old-style police vehicle - a copy of which will be added to the collection of pictures in the museum.

The medal will now be polished up and put on display in a cabinet in the Arpley Street museum.