PRESTON'S top cop plugged his ears to pound the beat in the footsteps of a deaf person to help raise disability awareness and improve his communication skills when dealing with the hard of hearing.

Chief Superintendent Russ Weaver got first hand experience of life as someone with little or no hearing, using special foam ear plugs

Organiser, John Freeman of Preston's Community Voluntary Services, gave Mr Weaver three everyday tasks to complete around Preston.

He had to ask people directions to the post office, order a discontinued video from a music store and inquire about the cost of sending a package to Peru.

"It was a ten minute job that took me half-an-hour," said Mr Weaver.

"I felt completely cut off and I was completely unaware of my surroundings. It showed just how much you use your ears to guide you.

"I felt rude and awkward because I kept having to ask people to repeat themselves.

"There was a lady behind me struggling with a pram. She must have thought I was really ignorant because I didn't move but I just didn't hear her."

"Communication at work is very important and if police officers come into contact with people who have hearing problems it can sometimes seem as if they are resisting their requests.

"I have realised now, through my experience, they must feel intimidated and unsure. This will change how I deal with situations like this in the future."

Other people taking part in the event included Preston Mayor, Neil Cartwright; Bernard Hayes, finance director of Preston City Council; Father Tom Davis of Preston Minster; John Newsome, area quality manager at HSBC; Brian Booth, chairman of the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust; and Christine Edwards, of the University of Central Lancashire.

Mr Freeman said: "We chose people that are in decision-making positions because when they make any that could affect a disabled person, they will be able to think back to their experience and realise how significant a particular decision might be.