A BEAT bobby who has tackled a knifeman, racial harassment and barriers between police and young people, has received an award.

PC Nigel Craig, who covers the Chester-le-Street west beat, is winner of this year's Matt Wilkinson Trophy, Durham Police's top award for outstanding policing.

Among his achievements is his work in breaking down barriers between police and young people, helped by his decision to work from an office based on the premises of the Hermitage School in Chester-le-Street, which helps him forge links between police and young people.

The trophy also recognises his promotion of a Shop Watch scheme, his involvement with local volunteers working on diversionary schemes for young people and his work in resolving a number of difficult cases, which includes the successful investigation of the racial harassment of a local Sikh shopkeeper.

PC Craig, 38, has also received commendations for tackling a mentally unstable knifeman, armed with an eight-inch blade at his home in Great Lumley and managed to restrain and arrest him.

Supt Peter Davis said: "PC Craig is constantly seeking initiatives involving local residents and partners in an effort to improve their quality of life.

"Nigel's work at the Hermitage School is an excellent example of working with the community. He is quite simply a superb beat officer, one of the best I've ever seen."

PC Craig's other claim to fame is for stopping Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips and Newcastle player Kieron Dyer for speeding on consecutive days in February this year.

PC Neil Ovington, 40, from the division's Sherburn section office, was awarded the force's top probationer constable of the year award for his 'self-motivation, determination and outstanding ability.'

PC Ovington worked as a self-employed joiner and carpenter and then a site manager with a building contractor before joining the police. He made 61 arrests last year, mostly for burglary, theft, car crime and drugs-related offences.

The third of Durham's annual awards was given to police dog handler PC Tony Drummond, 35, who tracked down and caught a house burglar within hours of the offence taking place in Dacre Gardens, Consett, last September.

His dog, Ceasar, quickly located a scent and tracked it through streets and over 150 yards of wasteland. The dog then sniffed out various items hidden in the long grass, including a metal safe, a baseball cap and a jemmy.

The trail led into The Avenue, where the dog led PC Drummond to the burglar, hiding in a back yard along with a cash tin stolen in the break-in.