PFCC David Allen visited West Cumbria with MP Josh MacAlister to hear more about concerns and visited firefighters at Workington Fire Station.

To start the day off, the Commissioner, MP, and local councillor Emma Williams attended a public drop-in session at Whitehaven Library to meet with any residents looking to raise their concerns about crime.

Those who attended spoke on a variety of local issues such as speeding and violence against women and girls.

After the residents meeting, they met with community beat Officer Louise Stubbings and PC Sarah Hindle to go out on a foot patrol in the Kells area and see first-hand the work being done to reduce crime.

Anti-social behaviour has been a key issue, with young people knocking on doors, jumping into gardens and throwing items at people’s homes – damaging property in some instances.

Speaking about the visit, Mr Allen, said: “As Commissioner, I believe it is important for me to be out in our communities to see first-hand the positive work of the Police and Fire and Rescue services. It also allows me to meet with local residents and listen to any concerns or ideas they may have.

“I, alongside Whitehaven and Workington MP Josh MacAlister and local councillor, Emma Williams, spent the day in the West meeting with local and going out on patrol with the Police to see the positive work that they do in Kells. The Neighbourhood Policing Team is doing a fantastic job at tackling and preventing youth ASB in the area, problem solving and making the community feel safer for all."

The Commissioner and MP then headed out to Ullock to meet with the Rural Crime Team and a local farmer who had received crime prevention advice and a tracker on their quad bike following a quad bike theft.

The Rural Crime Team spoke to the Commissioner and MP about the local rural crime trends in West Cumbria which mostly consist of rural roads anti-social driving and equine crime.