A WOOTTON Bassett police officer, who is retiring after 22 years of service in the town, said his most hair-raising moment was a face-to-face encounter with a knife-wielding man.

Today PC Dave Wood was due to hang up his helmet for the last time after working in a variety of roles.

For the past three years he has worked out of uniform as proactive intelligence officer gathering information about Wootton Bassett, Cricklade and Malmesbury.

He has also worked as a school liaison officer, in the CID and did a stint as a member of the firearms team but has never left the vicinity of Wootton Bassett. The 51-year-old, who lives on Poet's Estate, moved to the town when he was 12 and attended Wootton Bassett School.

After three years working in Swindon he returned to his home town and stayed for the next 22 years.

He said: "I have enjoyed working here because I believe in community-based policing and giving personal service. In a small town like this with the public on your side you can get on and do your job."

PC Wood said he has had a few close calls but one that happened five years ago sticks in his mind.

"There have been several twitching moments when you come into a situation without back-up but once I was on the wrong side of a man with a knife which was very concerning. After the incident we got his history and he was suffering from a mental illness, which was treated appropriately.

"In this job things can go from the mundane to your adrenalin going in the blink of an eye."

On a lighter note he said that most police officers have a wicked sense of humour.

"Police officers have got a very strange sense of humour, a black humour, that helps them get through the job. My funniest incident was when I attended a serious road accident. After it was all sorted out I returned to the police car, which had its blue lights flashing. I had locked my keys inside. I had the mick taken out of me rotten for that."

His boss, Inspector Craig Hill, said: "Dave has been a pillar of the community in Wootton Bassett for almost all of his service and has provided the highest standard of service.

"He is as committed and enthusiastic as he was when he began."