When motorway police officer Paul Searle stopped a car travelling erratically at Birch Services on the M62, and found the driver to be suffering from hypo-glycaemia as a result of diabetes, he had no option but to hand over his lunch and watch the distressed motorist scoff the lot.

The life saving gesture got PC Searle thinking, and he made a proposal to Greater Manchester Police's suggestion scheme, Forceful Ideas, that motorway police vehicles should carry high-energy glucose tablets in their first aid kits for just such an emergency.

The idea was supported by the Force's medical officer and the British Diabetic Association, who agreed that giving glucose tablets to someone in distress would certainly cause no harm, and could actually help 90 per cent of diabetics in trouble.

High-energy glucose tablets are now carried in all police motorway vehicle first aid kits and PC Searle's idea has been put forward for a cash award from the Forceful Ideas suggestion scheme.

Constable Paul Searle said: " This was the second case of a driver suffering from hypo-glycaemia that I had come across in just one week. Though the majority of diabetics who drive are careful about maintaining their blood sugar levels, it is still possible to get caught out. With these tablets in the first aid kits we can provide quick and effective relief to sufferers and hopefully get them safely on their way when they have recovered. It will also help to ensure that police officers like myself do not need to go without our lunch!"

Good idea! Also nice to see the Police portrayed in a positive light for once.

I hope the first aid boxes are not like those initially issued to An Garda Siochána which consisted of a heavy steel box which had to be carried on the rear parcel shelf of the patrol cars. It had the vague look of military issue except it was painted light green.

All was great until a patrol car shunted into the rear of another car at speed and ... yes, you guessed correctly, the box flew unaided into the front of the car. It would have exited through the front window only for the outsized head of the observer who had leaned over to adjust the radio.

The box bounced off his hat stand (head plus 6 stitches) and came to rest harmlessly in the footwell on the driver side.

It could have been much worse if it had made its way through the windscreen and hit some unfortunate passerby. Imagine the extra paper work to be completed then!

We are fortunate as one of the officers at our station is a trained paramedic and makes sure all the boxes have the appropriate equipment in them.

Good lad, great idea.

I know here some diabetics arent allowed drive as they're prone to these type of attacks, i think the lack of blood sugar actually cause them to feel intoxicated

That's very stupid, just a lack of basic common sense surely!

Carry them already in my own duty bag, along with a couple of Geo bars and a 4 year old bottle of Cola.

Just in case i'm stuck somewhere on a crime/accident scene with no (ohhh suits you sir) relief.

AND I've given some to an old lady diabetic.


P.S. She still owes me the money for 'em!

Nice one mate but why didnt you raid her purse while she was still out of it!!!

Only joking of course.................you should have just sent her the receipt for the re-stock!!!!

First aid kits in our place are always thin on the ground. PLASTERS?????

Tube of 'Hypostop' is as good as anything. You can get it 'over the counter' at chemists....tastes vile though but very effective at raising blood suger.

Our first aid kits are well stocked as we have a trained police paramedic at our nick.

My cars well stocked as is the office as i'm a member of a volly ambo org myself trained up to emeregency medical first responeder

ANY GOOD WITH PLASTERS SARGE, I GOT A PAPER CUT?

Certinly Richie, take a seat just grab a pair of gloves

Ta mate, don't think I am allergic