Cut-out police officer thrown away by mistake

They were hailed as a smiling army fighting against crime in Preston – but already one of the troops has gone missing in action.

A life-size cardboard cut-out of the city centre's community beat manager PC Yvette Ashton has been removed from the frontline by a shopkeeper although there were initial fears it may have been pinched.



When one of the "team" disappeared this week from a shopping centre in Preston it was feared she had been kidnapped.

Police probing the disappearance of their cardboard colleague found the cut-out had been thrown away by mistake because shop staff had not seen the picture on the other side of the display and thought it was rubbish.