Last updated at 16:33, Tuesday, 12 March 2013

ONE of Barrow’s most deprived areas has got a new bobby on the beat, despite losing its police office.

Barrow Inspector Ian McClymont said PC Jenna Birbeck would take over as the dedicated officer for Ormsgill after PC Ollie Hamilton left to return to his native Scotland.

However, PC Birbeck will work from the Hindpool office as the Ormsgill office, which was based in Murray’s Pharmacy, in Middlefield, will close.

Insp McClymont saidfootfall at the office in Ormsgill was “very minimal”.

When the town’s new police station is completed next year it would be “just down the road” from Ormsgill, he said.

Insp McClymont said: “We have identified Jenna as the primary officer and she will be carrying out a number of meet-and-greet events and working with our partners out there.

“She is a very proactive police officer so we will very much keep maintaining a presence. When the new building comes in, that’s literally just down the road.

“We are still in Ormsgill and carrying out work there and if there’s anything that needs investigating it will be dealt with.”

PC Birbeck said she would take on the job in Ormsgill along with Police Community Support Officer Paul Ryan.

Although she officially took up the post yesterday, she said she had been getting to know the area and the people there for the last three weeks.

“It has been going well, we have had a positive response from people we have spoken to, we have visited some of our well-known vulnerable residents to let them know what’s going on,” she said.

Although Ormsgill had a bad reputation in the past, PC Birbeck said she thought this was unfair, especially given all the work PC Hamilton had done during his time there.

“I moved to Barrow two or so years ago and I have the benefit of seeing Ormsgill as it is now and I think it is a great little area to live,” PC Birbeck added.

First published at 16:08, Tuesday, 12 March 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk