Crime-busting York bobby John Bolton has been nominated for a prestigious award - which could see him pounding the streets of Europe.

PC Bolton, the brains behind many city centre crime-busting initiatives, including taking shop managers on patrol and circulating pictures of known shoplifters to store managers, is North Yorkshire's nominee for Community Policeman of the Year.

Sponsored by the Police Review Magazine the annual award is open to ranks up to inspector but has usually been awarded to constables, who have made a difference by working on their own initiative.

PC Bolton was nominated by inspector Fred Martindale, who said he had no trouble finding local people and businesses to back the plan.

"It's a real accolade for career PCs," said Insp Martindale.

"Everyone I approached was keen to lend their support to John's nomination - he commands respect in the community because of his integrity."

He has a compassionate approach to community problems - he genuinely cares about the community he serves."

BHS manager Kay Hobbs, who also chairs Retailers Against Crime in York (RACY), was one of those who felt PC Bolton had made an invaluable contribution.

"John Bolton is the human face of policing in York and I cannot speak of him too highly," she said.

"His face - and his voice - are well-known in the city and his contacts and experience were invaluable when it came to setting up RACY."

The winner of the award will be announced at a dinner in London and he or she will be given a bursary to allow them to study community policing in another country.

PC Bolton would like to travel to Germany, Holland and Luxembourg to investigate how community policing is tackled in city's with similar populations to York. "I'd like to thank everyone for the support they have given me in relation to this award and over the last four years when I have been working in the city centre - it's been very much appreciated," said PC Bolton.

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