A DETECTIVE whose 33-year career included work with top British politicians and members of the Royal Family serves his last day on the force today.

Alec Francis, a detective sergeant with Darlington CID, worked for the Queen and Prime Minister Tony Blair during his posting to Special Branch in the 1990s.

His life with Durham Police has also given him a chance to travel around the world.

Det Sgt Francis, 48, who was brought up in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, studied at the town's Marlow Hall Secondary Modern School before joining Durham Police cadets in September 1969.

During that time, he spent a ten-week period in Iceland with the British Schools' Exploring Society, in 1971, before becoming a PC with Durham City police the following year.

He was involved in policing the 1984-85 miners' strikes in the region.

In 1990 he was posted to CID as detective sergeant, beginning his Special Branch duties, which remained the highlight of his career.

He said: "It got me to visit and work in places as diverse as Belfast and Dublin, and got me to travel as far away as Singapore, and Jakarta, in Indonesia.

"I was involved in certain security aspects and, indeed, got the opportunity to meet the majority of the Royal Family."

More recently, Det Sgt Francis has been dealing with the public on Darlington's crime desk and is looking forward to spending the early part of his retirement motoring and travelling.