FROM undercover police operations against soccer hooligans to secret underground war bunkers, Mike Layton has been there – and written a book about it.

Prolific Bromsgrove author Mike Layton has just published his 21st book in seven years and, of course, is currently working on his 22nd.

And what drives this relentless writer – a determination to preserve the past.

Mike is a former police office of 44 years who got the writing bug when he retired in 2011.

His first book – Hunting the hooligans - happened because a writer approached him to help with a book about soccer hooliganism, and Mike had led an undercover operation against the notorious Birmingham City Zulu Warriors and.

It was called, fittingly, Operation Red Card.

Now, seven years on, Mike’s two latest books are out. One is a second volume of Top Secret Worcestershire: the second is called Proud to Serve and is about his work with ethnic minority officers during his time in the Black Country in the West Midlands force.

A rocket factory at Kidderminster and the BBC’s nuclear bunker in Worcestershire are two of the secrets Mike and co-author Stephen Burrows cover.

Most of Mike’s books are based on recollections of the police service, either his own or old colleagues.

But he’s also written four crime fiction novels and is currently working on a book about his wife’s late father and his life in Cyprus.

That would follow a book called The Night the Owl Cried which is about the early life of his wife, Andry Christou, on the island.

The 68-year-old, who served in West Midlands Police before moving to the Sovereign Bases Police in Cyprus and then returning to the British Transport Police, says he first book was the most successful in terms of sales but that there are ‘no riches’ in his writing.

“It’s not about the money, it’s about preserving history, especially police history, for future generations.

“I found writing books is easy, selling them is hard. But I like to think someone else has written what I have produced and hopefully had some fun out of it.”

Proud to Serve is available from www.Brewinbooks.com, Top Secret Worcestershire II is available from Amazon or www.Bostinbooks.co.uk (both £14.95).