Rewarding our unsung heroes

I was honoured to be a guest at the Cheshire Police Northern Awards evening held in Warrington when veteran comedian Ken Dodd was on hand to present various commenda­tions to deserving officers and members of the public.
Too often we read about those who commit terrible crimes in our community but little about those who help make our town a better place to live.
It was particularly rewarding to see honours being presented to members of the public who helped police tackle serious crimes.
One involved a 16-year-old girl who saved a friend from almost certainly becoming the victim of a rapist, by intervening and then later providing investigating officers with vital information which eventually led to the arrest of the sex attacker.
Following his arrest he was convicted of another rape.
Another incident involved a man and a woman who helped police apprehend two youngsters who would have almost certainly murdered their young victim had they not been caught.
It is certainly refreshing to see the unsung heroes being recognised for their achievements, especially those civilians who helped police solve terrible crimes.
These public spirited citizens are a credit to the area and fully deserving of their commendations.
It was also pleasing to see the business community involved for the first time. sponsoring some of the key awards during the event at Winmarleigh House – well done to all those involved.
Finally a word about comedian Ken Dodd, who provided the light entertainment following the presentations – he is certainly still one of the great entertainers at 82-years young!