DURING 50 years of loyal service in Cheshire police force, Geoff Allen has been involved in some of the highest profile cases in the North-West.

Geoff recalls digging on Saddleworth Moor 40 years ago, searching for missing children in the Ian Brady and Myra Hindley murders.

And two decades later, he was deployed during the miners’ strikes in Derbyshire, and was on duty during the 1977 case when bodies were found in a Prestbury bank.

The dad-of-three, now 66, is believed to be the only member of the county’s constabulary to ever rack up 50 years service.

Acting Chief Constable Graeme Gerrard hailed Geoff’s career as "a remarkable record of public service".

After leaving school at 15, Geoff began his career in October 1958 as a police cadet in Runcorn. He married Kate and went to Partington, and spent four years as a rural beat officer in Kelsall, before moving to Macclesfield as a sergeant in 1974. Within three months Macc police moved to their new cop shop on Brunswick Street.

The granddad-of-four, who has just celebrated his 42nd wedding anniversary, has been a licensing officer since 1996. The couple, who live in Tytherington, have four grown up children.

Recalling two of his worst weekends, spent digging for bodies on Saddleworth Moor, Geoff said: "We went up there and dug to find those poor kids. It was awful, but I’m pleased to say we didn’t find any when I was on duty. I was also the sergeant on duty when they found the body at the Prestbury branch of Williams and Glyn’s in the late 1970s."

In 1980, Geoff moved to Wilmslow as an inspector and was called to help in the Toxteth riots and miners’ strike in Derbyshire.

Geoff said: "I’m just pleased to have served the public for the last 50 years. I think it’s important to talk and listen to people. There have been times as a policeman where people are extremely angry about things. You have to let them fire off at you and calm themselves down. Then you will find they’re much easier to talk to. People don’t listen to each other enough these days."

When not on his licensing duties, Geoff is a keen rugby follower, a press officer at Macclesfield Rugby Club and plays cricket for Kerridge.