A POPULAR policeman from Yate is leaving the beat to become a missionary.

PC Giles Sutton is hanging up his boots to join his wife Penny, who runs The Candle Shop on Station Road, as a Christian mission worker.

One of the town’s two neighbourhood beat managers, PC Sutton has patrolled the streets of Yate for nearly a decade after joining Avon and Somerset Constabulary 20 years ago.

The 48-year-old said: "Yate is a nice safe place to live and it’s been good to make so many contacts in the community.

"I know lots of people in Yate, both through my police role and as a member of Christ the Rock church, and I will still be local. "Hopefully I will still see people while I’m out and about."

PC Sutton begins a theology course in September.

He is being replaced by PC Angharad ‘Harry’ Baynham.

He added: "I will miss policing, especially as the introduction of neighbourhood policing and PCSOs has meant we can deal with local issues much more effectively.

"I think PC Baynham is ideally suited to carry on the work. She has been interested in the job for some time and has been working locally on the emergency response team."

PC Baynham, 32, takes up her post in July.

Policing is in PC Baynham’s blood, as her father was an Avon and Somerset officer. She lives in South Gloucestershire with her partner and has spent most of her seven years’ service working on the emergency response teams covering the Chipping Sodbury and Thornbury area.

She said: "I did a social science degree and decided I wanted to join the police after university. I’ve been thinking about taking on a neighbourhood policing role for a few years and having worked from this station for so long I know the area and lots of people already.

"I’m looking forward to getting into the community, finding out what their issues are. As a response officer you go from incident to incident, so it will be great to start building long-term relationships with people. Giles is going to be missed, but I hope I will be able to continue his good work."