THERE is a new officer on the beat in Weardale.

Police Community Support Officer Kim Anderson has joined the neighbourhood team at Stanhope station.

PCSO Anderson, 22, from Bishop Auckland, said: “I’m excited to get started. I want to give back to the community. I enjoyed working with the public in my last job and here I’m going to be ever more involved which is great.”

PCSO Anderson, who previously worked at an activity centre in Newton Aycliffe, is looking forward to getting to know Stanhope and the surrounding villages.

Her duties could include house-to-house enquiries, providing members of the public with crime prevention advice and gathering intelligence.

Teesdale and Weardale Inspector Ed Turner said: “It is a pleasure to welcome Kim to not only one of our most rural locations in the force area but in the country. There is a well-established beat team and she is lucky enough to be situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty. I am sure that she will complement the team and be an asset to the local area.”