Bobby and and his dog who foiled a Wigan armed robbery are named as “Rising Stars” on region’s streets

Three-year-old German Shepherd PD Eddie and his handler PC Andy Kenyon, received the Rising Star award at the Thin Blue Paw Awards.

Among their achievements were the thwarting of an armed raid in Aspull last year.

The Greater Manchester Police duo were honoured at the ceremony, hosted by the national dog chaity and supported by Animal Friends Insurance, at Knebworth Park, in Hertfordshire.

PD Eddie was bred by GMP and brought on by a trainer before he was partnered with new dog handler, PC Kenyon, who spent four years working as an officer before fulfilling his dream to join the dog unit.

The 32-year-old officer said: “I always wanted to be a dog handler. My dad was a dog handler and I’ve been around police dogs from a young age; it’s why I joined the police.

“Eddie is a sociable dog and is great at home, but also performs really well when we’re at work. He’s great at tracking and we’ve had some really good results.”

The pair completed their training course and licensed in March 2021, hitting the ground running and have directly secured almost 50 arrests since.

On the scene of an armed robbery at a shop in Aspull, PC Kenyon and PD Eddie were able to track three men who ran from the scene, with the German shepherd’s superb sense of smell catching one of the raiders hiding in a garden.

Some of the pairing’s other highlights include defending PC Kenyon’s colleague after being attacked with a crowbar by armed robbers.

PC Kenyon – who lives with wife, Rebecca, three-year-old daughter, eight-week-old son, and pet dog, Dougie – said: “A call came in about two men breaking into a bookies in Wigan in the middle of the night.

“A local sergeant had arrived just before us and came face-to-face with the men; one was running at him with a crowbar as we arrived, trying to hit him.

"He pressed his emergency button and, luckily, we arrived on the scene.

“I shouted to the man but he carried on swinging it at my colleague; he dropped the weapon and tried to make his escape so I sent Eddie after him and he caught him just down the street.”

Supt John-Paul Ruffle, from GMP’s specialist operations branch, said: “GMP are very proud of the commitment and dedication of PC Kenyon, PD Eddie and the whole dog handling team for the work they do on a daily basis.

“It is fantastic to see rising stars Andy and Eddie receive recognition for their contribution to keeping people across Greater Manchester safe.”

Thin Blue Paw Foundation trustee, Kieran Stanbridge, said: “While it’s wonderful to celebrate the experience and long-serving teams who have long kept their communities safe, it’s also important to shine a light on the new partnerships who are rising stars in the policing world; and PC Kenyon and PD Eddie have certainly shown that the people of Greater Manchester are lucky to have them looking out for them!”

Find out more about the Thin Blue Paw Foundation and the awards at www.thinbluepaw.org.uk/awards.