Northumbria Police recruits first female horse

Penelope will support front-line officers on patrols and at protests, during football matches and large-scale events

A female horse has been recruited by a police force for the first time in its 162-year history.

Northumbria Police has traditionally only used geldings in its mounted section.

Penelope, previously named Bella, "brings a bit of diversity to the stables", the force said.

It added there had been no specific reason why it had previously avoided having mares.

A spokesman said: "It's traditionally always been geldings in the same way that traditionally all the horses have been named with the letter P."

Mounted section head Sgt Stuart Coates said 10-year-old Penelope, a 17-hand Clydesdale, was "full of character and is fitting in well with the boys".