Formerly of West Riding, Manchester & GMP.
Alan joined the then West Riding Constabulary in 1956 after National Service and was posted to Delph. He then transferred to Manchester where he was posted to the C Division. From there he moved to the Airport, then Mancro and then back to the Airport from where he retired in 1986.
A comment from Dennis Woods sums him up beautifully – "Alan was often on my section. His appearance was that of the old traditional bobby, some six feet four inches in height, and around twenty stone in weight. He wore size fourteen boots, hence his nickname! Each Christmas he was Santa Claus at various venues for the local, and policemen's kids; dressed accordingly he looked very much the part. A lovely caring man, God bless"
After retirement he moved to Australia and lived in Brisbane, where he was a school bus driver! Whilst there he met his second wife (his first was one of Shipman's victims), who was the postmistress at Camb Yell in Shetland. After marrying her he moved there to live.
