GAZETTE & HERALD: A WOMAN police officer who coaxed a man down from a tower flagpole has received an award for her actions.

WPC Julie May from Calne received a certificate of merit from Wiltshire Constabulary alongside PC Ivor Noyce last week.

In December last year the pair tackled a man who had scaled the 80-foot fire brigade fire tower at the training centre in Hopton Industrial Estate, Devizes.

A police spokesman said: "There is no doubt that the initial and continued dialogue and actions of WPC May and PC Noyce, until trained negotiators arrived at the scene, greatly contributed to the successful resolution of this situation."

WPC May comes joined the Wiltshire Constabulary 11 years ago. She was initially stationed at Chippenham Police Station and is now based at Devizes where she is currently a response officer.

WPC May is the daughter of Jack May, who was an officer in Wiltshire Constabulary for over 30 years, most of that time stationed in Calne. He said he was immensely proud of his daughter.