Melanie Bowling has been singled out for “special” praise.

For the Bury officer has lifted Greater Manchester Police’s coveted Special Constable of the Year award.

Melanie has now made the step up to become a full-time regular in the police service.

The temporary sergeant was among officers from Greater Manchester Police’s Special Constabulary who were awarded for acts of bravery and community service during a ceremony at the force’s Sedgley Park base.

Melanie was nominated by both Special Chief Inspector Andrew Moore and Special Inspector Martin Dyer, both from the Bury division, citing how Melanie had gone above and beyond her duties over the past year, getting involved in a high level of enforcement.

She was involved in more than 15 arrests, 20 roadside breath tests and numerous car seizures which helped disrupt the criminal element in Bury and surrounding areas.

Colleagues say she has no hesitation in doing what is right and what is needed in order to protect the public. Once, her dedication in preventing serious injuries during a bar fight found her covered in blood which contaminated her uniform and had to be destroyed.

The nomination read: “Melanie has assisted in and helped organise many operations, including raiding brothels in the Bury area where 15 arrests were made and a substantial amount of cash seized.

“She has also taken neighbourhood policing to her heart and ensures that more than half of her duties are spent with the teams at Prestwich and Whitefield.

“Melanie is passionate about using her skills to help others on the team and is a great tutor and mentor to new recruits. She is always more than willing to develop new officers and often stays well beyond her hours to help them with their files and paperwork.”

The awards ceremony was told that great leadership qualities were very quickly spotted in Melanie early on in her service, which led to her appointment as a temporary sergeant.

Speaking at the prizegiving event, Chief Officer Paul Whittam said: “During a time when the policing landscape is changing, the Special Constabulary has shown unwavering commitment to its duties and this should be a source of great reassurance to communities in these challenging times.”

l Special constables are volunteers who have the same powers as regular police officers, but do not receive payment.