GREATER Manchester Police has welcomed a record number of Special Constables into the force.

The special ceremony was held in Chorlton and resulted in 62 specials being signed up –beating the previous record of 58 set in late 2015.

Among the Special Constables who will be attested at the ceremony are a promising amateur boxer, a Polish national who is looking to support local diverse communities, a support worker for vulnerable adults and a mother of three.

The recruits have completed five months of training and they can now become operational.

Their work will include supporting and assisting police officer colleagues, working on crime prevention initiatives and community partnership projects.

Greater Manchester Police Deputy Chief Constable Ian Pilling said; “The work of our Special Constables is very important and the contribution they make in increasing the effectiveness of policing in Greater Manchester is vital.

“We are extremely appreciative of the effort they make as citizens and volunteers in helping to make Greater Manchester a safer place.

“They form a key part of the police service, helping to reduce and prevent crime as well as providing a key link with the communities they serve.”

Special Constable Piotr Marjanski originally moved to Manchester from Poland 10 years ago and is now looking to focus on supporting diverse communities in his role.

Piotr, aged 27, who works as an auto-mechanic , said: “I had thought about policing when living in Poland but when I moved to Manchester I realised that with the role of a special constable I could make a really positive impact, particularly among the diverse communities that live in the city.

“With my own background I hope I will be able to use my experience and the training I have received to build relationships with local communities and improve understanding of the important work we do as constables.”

Special Constable, Mohammad Hussain, aged 21, from Oldham, has combined his special constable training with a promising career as an amateur boxer. From starting in the sport at the age of 12, he has since reached the finals of the Amateur Boxing Association national schoolboy championships.

Mohammad said: “When my special constable training began I quickly realised I could make a positive difference to the local community in Rochdale that I am going to police.

"It is an important role and I am now looking forward to working on some exciting projects which will hopefully bring real benefits to the local area.”