Prince visits police rehab centre

The Prince of Wales meet injured officers during his visit

The Prince of Wales has paid tribute to Britain's policemen and women during a visit to a rehabilitation centre for injured officers in Oxfordshire.

He met officers who had been wounded on duty at the Police Rehabilitation Centre in Goring-on-Thames.

The Flint House centre provides a full range of treatment, including physiotherapy and counselling.

He told an audience, which included Met Commissioner Sir Ian Blair, the centre should be "cherished and encouraged".

"The threat so many of the officers are having to face on the streets day in, day out is really quite remarkable and very often alarming," he said.

'Great facilities'

"It really is a centre of excellence and somewhere that should be cherished and encouraged.

"Great credit should go to all those who work incredibly hard here."

Annual running costs of £3.8m are met through donations and the voluntary contributions of serving officers.

Among those the Prince met were Pc Elizabeth Thompson, 49, from the Bedfordshire force, who was receiving physiotherapy for knee ligament injuries suffered while on duty.

She said: "The facilities here are great, there is the hydrotherapy pool and I can do my own exercises.

"It is a fantastic way to get back to full operational duties as quickly as possible."