Lincolnshire student police officers called a “credit to the force” after finding a missing 80-year-old woman in Gainsborough during a practical exercise.

A group of student police officers have been called a “credit to the Force” after finding a missing elderly woman during a practical exercise.

Students from Lincolnshire Police were out in Gainsborough when a member of the public approached them saying that an 80-year-old woman had gone missing.

The routine learning exercise quickly turned into a real-life incident, and the group of 16 did not hesitate to divide themselves into groups.

One group accompanied the person reporting the incident to the missing lady’s last known location and gathered the relevant details and descriptions.

The other groups worked together to coordinate a broader search of the area.

PC Simon Wright, who was overseeing the students, said: “Their updates were clear and concise which provided all the relevant information for me to keep divisional units informed in the event they were needed to assist and ultimately take over if required.

“The way they responded so reassuringly, and yet assertively was a testament to their diligent learning, their application of learning, and the overall outstanding teamwork they all demonstrated.”

The lady was found safe and well thanks to the efforts of the learners.

Supt Phil Vickers proudly commended the student’s swift and agile coordination, he said: “The group worked extremely well together, co-ordinating a response which was not only a credit to the Force but highly effective given their length of service.

“I was immensely impressed at how practically they dealt with the incident on the day.”

A spokesperson for the student team said: “We feel this incident has helped massively towards preparing us for our upcoming roles as Police Constables and has shown us that, when needed, we are able to naturally put into action the skills and confidence that we have gained during our time here so far.

“During this incident, we were able to see and understand how important the team element is to policing, as each officer played a different role in finding this lady which is also a credit to the trainers and the excellent job they have done so far in educating us.’’