A NEW area inspector has taken over responsibility for policing Bolton West.

Insp Mo Razaq will be in charge of the areas of Westhoughton, Horwich, Blackrod and Lostock, and is to be based at the new police station near to Middlebrook.

He has taken over the job from Insp Simon Miskell, who has returned to response policing.

Insp Razaq has almost 30 years policing experience under his belt, including spells in CID and with the Greater Manchester Police firearms unit.

During the 1980s, he helped to police the Toxteth riots, and was part of the team which escorted the moors murderer Myra Hindley back to the Saddleworth moors to identify the location of victims' bodies.

Insp Razaq said: "I am delighted to be given the opportunity of being area Inspector for Bolton West.

"Not only is it the biggest policing area in Bolton, it is also very varied with lots of rural farmland, open moorland and countryside and also a number of long established and new communities.

"It is home to Bolton Wanderers, the Middlebrook complex and also the location of some heavily industrialised areas.

"This diverse policing area will require a whole range of policing methods, something I am keen to develop with the local communities.

"I am determined to build on the good work of my predecessor Insp Simon Miskell, and through neighbourhood policing provide local people with a first class policing service, geared towards fighting crime and protecting people."