South Yorkshire Police officer follow's father's Coronation footsteps

Jon Simpson (fourth from front) and other officers lined the route of the coronation procession on Saturday

A police officer has followed in his father's footsteps by serving as a route liner during the Coronation on Saturday.

Sgt Jonathan Simpson was one of three South Yorkshire Police officers selected for the role.

His late father had fulfilled the same function for the Coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953.

Sgt Simpson was among more than 29,000 officers serving in the capital and in Windsor over the weekend.

He said his father had been a sergeant with the then City of Coventry Police.

"Back in 1953, he was selected to work at the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, also performing the role of a route liner, and was posted to Regent Street.

"This was a duty that my father was rightly extremely proud to carry out."

Sgt Simpson's father Ray was selected as a route liner in 1953

He said the competition to be selected in 1953 had been tough, with only the "best calibre" of officers making the cut.

"My father was somewhat of a hero to me and highly influential in my decision to join the police," he said.

His father died in 2007, but Sgt Simpson said his own selection felt like a "full circle moment".

"I was lucky enough to follow in his footsteps on Saturday and serve my country.

"It's a duty I am incredibly proud to have carried out, and I know meant an awful lot to my family."

As part of the proceedings, Sgt Simpson was posted to Whitehall while two of his colleagues, PC Karen Stebel and PC Andy House, were both posted to Buckingham Palace.