HUMAN CCTV COP BUSTS 130 CRIMINALS
Meet the human CCTV: a PCSO with a memory for faces so sharp he has apprehended more than 130 suspects in the last year alone with his eagle eyed talents. Community officer Andy Pope has been dubbed West Midlands Police's 'Memory Man' for his astonishing ability to spot criminals simply by memorising their faces. He spends hours every week poring over stills taken from CCTV and images from police briefing systems before hitting the streets of Birmingham to seek out troublemakers. So far, Andy's unique crime-tackling technique has led to the arrest and conviction of thieves, sex offenders and people wanted for violent crimes. In one remarkable case he even recognised a serial robber who walked past him in the city centre a whole year after his image had appeared on BBC's Crimewatch programme. The 34-year-old, who works with the Safer Travel team policing public transport routes, is now to be honoured with an award for police staff member of the year. Andy said: "With Safer Travel I spend a lot of time in Birmingham and on arterial routes into the centre. A lot of offenders do pass through city at some point and, when they do, I want to be able to recognise them.
Other great stories
FRIENDS REUNITED
IT'S the iconic TV show that influenced a whole generation in the 1990s .
ABANDONED CALIFORNIAN GOLD RUSH TOWN
A once bustling gold rush town in Mono County, California now stands completed deserted .
HORSE BEFRIENDS ADOPTED CAT
Going for long rides through vast fields together, this twosome share an unbreakable bond .
ORDEAL: RAILING HORROR MAN HAD BEEN IMPALED BEFORE
A man who spent 30 minutes impaled on iron railings after attempting to scale an 8ft fence has told of his agonising ordeal - and how he suffered a similar mishap as a child .
AMAZING AERIAL PATTERNS
Swirling water and sand create amazing aerial images of river deltas across Iceland .
BAITBALL READY TO POP
LIKE A living balloon this baitball of sardines is ready to burst when threatened by a pointy nosed sailfish .
CAVE ROOM HOTEL
THIS unique holiday accommodation allows you to enjoy a full Flintstones experience .
BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES CAPTURED ACROSS EUROPE
From the crisp, snow clad mountains to vivid bright blue rivers, these breath-taking photographs capture the incredible beauty of various landscapes across France and Italy .
RAPED TWICE BY MY SISTER'S FRIEND, AND HE TOOK PICTURES
Brave Amy, 18, has waived her anonymity to tell how she jailed rapist Philip Sims-Neighbour, 37, of Hylton Road, Worcester .
COME DINE AT SEA: RESTAURANT ON A ROCK
The rock restaurant, located in Zanzibar – THIS unique restaurant really does boast breath-taking views - as it is perched on a rock in the middle of the sea .
GRAVEYARDS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
From the tails of fighter planes to black and white checked buildings, graveyards take different and unusual forms around the world .
SINGLE WOMAN GRANTED NHS IVF HAS BABY AFTER 3 MISCARRIAGES
A single woman, who was granted IVF funding on the NHS, finally has a baby after suffering three miscarriages .