A POLICEMAN from Winterslow who has spent most of his career in Salisbury and Amesbury is retiring after more than 30 years.

Sgt Paul Hardiman, 50, began his career as a cadet when he was 17 and it has been him awarded a Royal Humane Society medal for helping a suicidal woman to safety.

He was also responsible for the introduction of a Salisbury city centre based patrol team after seeing similar schemes used by other forces.

One of the most memorable moments of Sgt Hardiman’s career was a Fathers 4 Justice protest in 2007 when men dressed as the Flintstones scaled Stonehenge.

“We got the call just after 9am to say that the Flintstones were on Stonehenge,” he said. “It really is a fascinating career and no two days are the same.”

Sgt Hardiman is looking forward to spending more time with his daughters, Florence, 18, and Georgina, 23, son Jonathan, 20, and the rest of his family.

He is also a Scout and Cub leader and an archery instructor.

He said: “I feel very fortunate and very privileged to have done a job I thoroughly enjoyed.

“I couldn’t ask for a greater honour than to serve the public and make the community safer. It is a fascinating career and I would commend it to anyone.”