A RETIRED police officer has published a book about heroes from the county’s forces in the last 108 years.

Stephen Wilson has spent the last two-and-a-half years writing his first publication following his 27-year career working for Lancashire Police.

Forgotten Heroes brings together a detailed record of all gallantry awards granted to 411 police officers in Lancashire since 1911 to today.

The stories in the book include the rescue of a fireman from a burning building in Accrington, an officer shot during the arrest of a violent criminal in Rishton and rescue of a suicidal man from a block of flats in Blackburn.

Despite his long career in the force, which included working as a police officer in Burnley and accident investigator in Colne, Mr Wilson said publishing the book was one of his proudest accomplishments.

The 60-year-old, who lives with his wife Elaine, 63, said: I’m proud of the work I have done bcause the book is called Forgotten Heroes and a lot of the people I have written about are not remembered for what they did.

“Officers did what they had to do - saving lives - with some having to pay the price with their own life.”

The 380-page book contains several accounts of brave East Lancashire officers who worked in Colne, Church, Rishton, Accrington and Blackburn.

In 1911, Sgt Henry Linaker and PC Christopher Adamson became the first officers to be awarded the Kings Police Medal (KPM) for arresting a violent wanted criminal at Burton Street, Rishton.

In 1938, Inspector Harry Wild rescued a trapped fireman in a burning building at NORI brickworks, Altham.

Years later Sgt Harry Bullock received a British Empire Medal for gallantry after rescue of a suicidal man from 10th floor of Lark Hill Flats, Blackburn, which was then under construction in 1964.

In 2005, Sgt Paul Leigh and PC Lukmaan Mulla were rewarded for gallantry after assisting a wounded officer David Lomas who was shot whilst entering a house at Rawtenstall.

The dad-of-one, who spent most of his career working as an accident investigator in Preston, added: “I have been interested in military things for quite sometime and have been involved in the Lancashire Police museum project recently.

"I have found all of the stories interesting and every one of them is unique.

I used various sources from Lancashire Archives, Greater Manchester Museum and Merseyside Police.”

“It has been challenging and the hardest thing has been finding out the information for the book."

It is available to purchase for £31.99 on Amazon.