A NEW Deputy Chief Constable has been appointed to West Mercia Police.

Assistant Chief Constable with Avon and Somerset Anthony Bangham has been appointed to the role and is expected to join the force in June.

The 45-year-old grew up in Worcestershire and attended Sacred Heart College in Droitwich before joining West Mercia Police as a Constable in 1991.

Rising through the ranks, he was made an Inspector in August 1998 and was put in charge of the divisional control room in Worcester.

DCC Bangham was made a Chief Inspector in 2000 and was posted to Hereford, where he continues to live today with his wife and two daughters.

He was made second in command in Hereford after only 11 years as a police officer and in 2005 moved to a national position working with an Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) working group in the use of firearms.

Spending time in Northern Ireland, the USA and Canada, DCC Bangham advised the Home Office and ACPO on the national rollout of tasers.

In 2007 he was made Chief Superintendant and in 2010 joined Avon and Somerset as Assistant Chief Constable.

DCC Bangham, who enjoys running and spending time with his family, said: "I am delighted to be returning to my home force and really excited about working with the Chief Constable and Police and Crime Commissioner in further improving the service to the public of West Mercia."

The force’s Chief Constable David Shaw said he was delighted to welcome DCC Bangham back to the region.

“He brings a wealth of experience to the force and we are looking forward to working with him once again,” he said.

West Mercia's Police and Crime Commissioner Bill Longmore said: "I am extremely pleased to welcome DCC Bangham to West Mercia Police.

"He was appointed following a rigorous recruitment process from an extremely strong pool of candidates.

"His role will be to provide control and direction to the force and we look forward to benefitting from the professionalism, dedication and commitment to policing he has demonstrated throughout his career to date."

He will replace DCC Simon Chesterman, who left West Mercia Police to join the Civil Nuclear Constabulary as capability director and deputy chief in January.