A new Police and Community Support Officer (PCSO) has joined the Copeland Neighbourhood Policing Team.

PCSO Claire Light has completed her training and is now part of the team covering Cleator Moor.

She will work alongside Community Beat Officer Kai Diesveld and Sarah Pickering-Smith.

PCSO Light has already been out on patrol and attended community events, including Whitehaven's Cultural Fringe Festival on October 26.

She has also visited St James Junior School to talk to children about staying safe around Halloween.

Over the next few weeks, she will be introducing herself to local communities, businesses, and partners.

The work of the Neighbourhood Policing Teams is supported by Operation Enhance, which sees extra police patrols in areas identified as hotspots, such as Cleator Moor, for anti-social behaviour and/or serious violence.

This was made possible after the Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner secured an additional £1m of extra funding from the Government’s Hotspot Response Fund.

Residents and workers in these hotspot areas are encouraged to share their thoughts by completing a survey at https://forms.office.com/e/srjy010hfq.

Dave MacDonald, Copeland Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant, said: "PCSO Light has already been out in the community engaging with our communities.

"She joins the wider Neighbourhood Policing Team to understand and tackle issues in the Cleator Moor area such as anti-social behaviour."

David Allen, Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said: "It’s always incredibly positive to have a new PSCO join the organisation.

“PCSOs are always thought of very highly in local communities and their role is vital to building local relationships, trust and confidence in how we police – especially in some of our outlying towns such as Cleator Moor- whilst helping to reduce anti-social behaviour before it grows into a criminal concern.

“I’m sure PCSO Light will do a fantastic job and I look forward to hearing more about her work in the community.”