Durham Police PC role for man who joined the force at 12

PC Scott Bowes dreamed of joining the force since he was a child

Durham Police's youngest call handler has become a PC at the age of 19 and says the experience was "surreal".

Scott Bowes, who grew up in Durham and now lives in Newcastle, dreamed of working for the force since childhood.

When he was was 12 years old he signed up as a cadet, and got a job in the police control room five years later.

PC Bowes said: "I always knew I wanted to be a cop, I had a passion from secondary school in helping people and wanting to be there for people."

Scott was a cadet at the age of 12

He added: "I want to be the one on the ground giving that support and I can't think of anything more rewarding than helping people in their hour of need."

He is two weeks into the job at Durham Police's training centre in Meadowfield, located a few minutes away from where he grew up.

Once his probationary training is complete in four months' time he will work with an experienced officer before being allowed to do the job alone.

As a 17-year-old call handler he worried people would think he was too young

He believes his experience dealing with emergency calls from the public will help with his training as a PC.

"A lot of people underestimate the importance of the control room, but at 17 to 18 years old having to talk to people in the worst situations, including those wanting to end their lives, are massive life experiences," he said.

"Age doesn't define whether you're going to be good or not, it's amazing seeing the positive interactions the force can make, from locking up the bad guys to improving people's quality of life."

He is also studying for a degree in professional policing at Northumbria University while in the job, doing about 20% of the work in his own time.