Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has welcomed the removal of the region’s police force from "special measures".

The turnaround has happened in 22 months, the fastest this has ever been done.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) found itself in "special measures" in December 2020 after failing to record 80,000 crimes.

But this week it was announced that sufficient improvements have been made to it to be taken out.

Chief Constable Stephen Watson vowed in June last year that the force would get better and he was appointed after making similar changes at South Yorkshire Police.

Mayor Andy Burnham praised the new Chief Constable for the changes which have been made.

On Friday, he said: “This is a good day for GMP – a day when officers and staff can have renewed confidence and pride in the badge.

“I want to thank the Chief Inspector, Andy Cooke, and His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services for their support over the last two years to get us to this stage.

“Back in December 2020, when GMP was put in special measures, there was poor leadership and poor culture.

"This was not the result of the thousands of decent people working day in and day out, it was the leadership.

“The main cause of the change in GMP is the outstanding leadership of Chief Constable Stephen Watson who has presided over the quickest turnaround of a police force and it’s also the most improved police force in the country.

“I also made the decision to increase the police precept to fund vital improvements in GMP, afters years of central government cuts to their budgets, resulting in the loss 2000 GMP officers.

“GMP is a different police force today to what it was in 2020. The public in Greater Manchester should have confidence in GMP.”