Lancashire police’s horses named by Derian House youngsters (From Chorley Citizen)

Lancashire police’s horses named by Derian House youngsters

4:33pm Wednesday 1st February 2012 in Chorley By Chris Gee, Reporter

Youngsters from a Chorley children’s hospice have named Lancashire police’s latest horse recruit.

The children, who all have life threatening or terminal illnesses, have named the four-year-old bay gelding Gisburn.

Officers took the horse to Derian House to visit the children and for help in deciding on a working name for him.

A ballot was run at the hospice so that the children could come to a decision.

Gisburn will now have 12 months’ training at the force’s mounted branch in Hutton, near Preston, before undertaking police duties.

Typical duties, once trained, will include policing football matches, searching for missing people, ceremonial duties, and responding to public disorder.

PC Adrian Phillips from Lancashire Constabulary’s mounted branch said: “All our police horses are named after a town in Lancashire so we asked the children to come up with the name of a local town beginning with the letter G, as we didn’t have any horses with names beginning with that letter.

“The children were really excited about picking a name and meeting our new horse.

“Touching and interacting with animals plays a huge part in the children’s development and it was great to get them involved.”

Hospice care team member and play specialist Tina Thorpe, said: “The children and staff at Derian House were thrilled and are really looking forward to charting Gisburn’s progress and seeing him in the future.”

The force has 18 police horses, with names including Sawley, Reedley, Dalton, Pendle, Silverdale and Marton.

Derian House provides specialist care for children with life threatening or terminal illnesses and support for their families.