ONE of Britain's most senior policemen comes home to the North-East this weekend to collect a rare academic accolade.

David Blakey, who joined Durham Constabulary as a cadet in 1960 and served with the force for nearly 20 years, is to join a select band of people which includes actor and raconteur Sir Peter Ustinov.

On Saturday Mr Blakey, 57, will be rewarded for the major role has played in the development of forensic science, when he will be presented with an honorary diploma at the National Training Centre (NTC) for Scientific Support to Crime Investigation, at Harperley Hall, Crook, County Durham.

Presently serving as one of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Constabulary, he was chief constable of West Mercia Police between 1991 and 1999, and national president of the Association of Chief Police Officers from 1997 to 1998.

He is only the fourth person to receive the honorary diploma. The others are former Durham Chief Constable Frank Taylor, retired Deputy Chief Constable Eddy Marchant, and Sir Peter, Durham University chancellor.

At the same ceremony, the NTC is honouring outstanding forensic scientists from a number of forces who have completed courses over the past 12 months.