TWINS Chris and David Peacock are to retire from the Special Constabulary.

The brothers, currently section officers with the Special Constabulary in Newton Aycliffe, reach their 55th birthdays at the end of this month and have reluctantly decided to call it a day.

Chris was a Durham special policeman for 18 months during the Sixties, but left to join the Ministry of Defence Police, where he served for eight years.

David first joined Cleveland Police, where his father was bandmaster, before switching to Durham in January 1976 - ten months before his brother's return.

During their 27 years of unbroken service the pair, who work for the same Darlington company, have received a variety of awards.

David was presented with a chief constable's commendation and an award from the Society for the Protection of Life from Fire for the part he played in rescuing a couple and their four children from a house fire nearly five years ago.

Chris received a divisional commander's commendation when he completed 2,500 hours of voluntary service in one year.

He has been injured in the line of duty on four occasions and once had his nose broken and head cut after being hit in the face with a beer glass.