TAXI drivers in Warminster are leading the country by gaining BTEC qualifications in their trade.

Drivers for Starline Taxis, in the Market Place, are the first in England to achieve the awards.

Drivers trained once a week for six months and learnt about the finer points of taxiing at the Wessex Driver Training Centre set up in the town.

Twelve cabbies took and passed the course, which included seven modules, two examinations and plenty of homework.

They were trained in customer service, disability awareness, route planning and equal opportunities.

Insp Geoff Miles, from Warminster police, presented the certificates at a ceremony held at the Full Moon, Rudge.

Driver Chris Brock, 49, of Boreham Fields, scored top marks in the first half of the course and went on to pass comfortably.

He said: "The company came up with the idea and at the beginning we just thought it was a laugh but we realised that it was important and really worthwhile.

"The public can now be confident when they are riding in a cab with one of us.

"We were told about how to deal with disabled people in the cab and also for example someone in distress."

Stuart Etheridge, 28, of Victoria Road has been driving taxis with Starline for nine months. He said: "It has been really interesting learning about dealing with the public.

"There are a lot of things you need to know when driving disabled people.

"For example we are not supposed to ask someone if they are diabetic, we should say, 'do you suffer from diabetes?'

"It did feel a bit like going back to school but I know we have all got a lot out of it."

The BTEC Intermediate Award in Transporting Passengers by Taxi and Private Hire recognises the unique skills needed in delivering a safe and customer focused journey.

Keith Humphries, director at Dataplus Training, planned and delivered the specialist training along with Tony Berridge, managing director at Starline.

Mr Humphries said: "Taxi drivers really are under appreciated. It might sound like a clich but a passenger's life is in the drivers hand.

"Knowing that these drivers are really well qualified should give people confidence when getting in the cabs.

"It has not been easy for these people, it is quite daunting for some of them who haven't set foot inside a school for 30 years."