LOCAL bobbies were due to be honoured today for their bravery and courage.

Six officers from the area joined their GMP collegues at Manchester Town Hall for a special awards ceremony attended by the city's Lord Mayor, town hall dignatries and Chief Constable David Wilmot.

Three officers have been honoured for their investigative work into the abduction and murder of a young boy in 1997.

More than 8,000 police and civilian searchers were used during thr investigation into the child's disappearance, leading to the arrest of a man who was sentenced to life imprisonment after a seven week trial.

Sgt Andrew Greenhalgh, from Bolton, but who is based on the Wigan division was praised for his work along with Det Con Vincent Gibbons, from Bury, and PC Asif Hussain, from Worsley, who both work at Grey Mare Lane police station in Manchester.

The three men receieved the Chief Constables commendation.

Worsley man PC Stuart Pizzey, 39, community safety officer at Manchester's Bootle Street police station, was awarded a Citation of Merit as well as being named Community Police Officer of the Year Award.

He has been involved in a number of city centre crime-fighting initiatives, inlcuding a special pager alert system which was developed as a direct result of the IRA's Manchester bombing.

And Long Service and Good Conduct Medals went to 46-year-old Swinton police officer Insp Kathryn Palin, who is based at Grey Mare Lane's divisional traffic unit.

She was joined by PC David Thomas, 48, who lives in Bolton and patrols from Manchester's Bootle Street station.