Police hire jungle expert

Eddie McGee (middle) will teach "urban jungle" skills

Police investigating crime scenes are to be trained by a survival expert who has lived with tribes around the world.

Eddie McGee, a former warrant officer in the Parachute Regiment, is to deliver the first tracking skills training among the UK's forces.

His know-how will now be passed on to Greater Manchester Police crime-scene officers.

A special two-week course will offer them tips on how to track offenders through urban areas.

Specialist course

Mr McGee is a qualified parachutist, diver and evasion expert.

He has lived with Pigmies, the Bedouin, Aborgines and the Ibans in Indonesia.

Tricia Foley, who co-ordinates training for the force's crime scene examiners, said that the move showed a "commitment to employ both ancient and modern methods in order to detect crime."

The course will help crime scene examiners to detect "ground signs" and to establish the parameters of a crime scene.

Participants will also be faced with realistic murder scenes and body deposition sites in challenging terrain.

Ms Foley said: "We cannot afford to be complacent and allow the criminal the upper hand.

"Our investment in this expert training is a first among the UK's forces."