The men and women of North Yorkshire Police's force control room in York have been presented with a special 'lockdown heroes' blue plaque in honour of their 'amazing service' during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

Staff in the control room played a 'critical role' in the police's ability to respond during lockdown, says the York Civic Trust, which presented the plaque - handling an increased number of calls and 'providing an excellent service to the public of North Yorkshire and vital support to the frontline'.

York Civic Trust chairman Stephen Lusty, who went along to the force control room to present the plaque, said: "We are lucky in York to have a police control room team which is so capable and resilient when often having to deal with the most difficult of calls.”

Staff in the force control room at Fulford Road Staff operate in a 'demanding, stressful and often emotionally exhausting environment, where prompt action can be lifesaving,' says the civic trust.

The control room receives calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. And during lockdown it was busier than ever - with more than 2,000 calls over the Easter weekend alone related to Covid-19.

Chief Constable Lisa Winward said: “We are incredibly honoured that our force control room has been recognised by York Civic Trust and we’re proud to have been awarded one of their prestigious blue plaques for being one of York’s lockdown heroes.

“Every day the control room plays an essential role in the service we deliver – it’s the heart of our organisation and our operational engine room. So it’s fantastic that their hard work and dedication has been recognised."

The civic trust launched a campaign on social media at the start of lockdown inviting members of the public to nominate an 'unsung hero' or organisation who was making a difference during the pandemic. More than 20 'lockdown heroes plaques have now been presented.

You can find out more about the heroes here