PENDLE MP Gordon Prentice has been won over by Lancashire's police helicopter service after seeing it in action first hand.

The MP questioned the use of the force whirlybird after complaining it woke up half of his home town Barnoldswick early one morning searching for a stolen car.

He travelled to Warton airport for face to face talks with police chiefs and was about to inspect the helicopter when it lifted off - in the direction of Pendle!

The MP who was briefed by Inspector Steve Fitzgerald said afterwards: "Since it was introduced in 1994, it has been responsible for over 1,000 arrests, including 65 armed robbers and over 450 car thieves."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.