A PCSO from Swindon who traded cuffs for hoofs is celebrating after displaying her show jumping skills to the Queen at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.

It was the first time PCSO Annabel Twiddy had competed in a police event.

PCSO Twiddy, of the West Swindon Neighbourhood Policing Team, joined Wiltshire Police as a Special Constable in May 2013 and five months later secured a position within the control room as a dispatch assistant and 999 call handler.

In January 2015, she started training as a PCSO before joining the West sector team on March 30.

A keen horse rider, she represented England Under 18s in show jumping and has continued her love of the sport while working in West Swindon.

“I have ridden since before I could walk,” she said. “I used to compete and breed horses full time but when the recession came around, unfortunately I had to sell all my horses bar one.

“In 2014, I approached Wiltshire Police’s Saddle Club to see if we had any other keen show jumpers in the force that may like to represent Wiltshire Police.

“Unfortunately, after writing to various people in the force, it seemed that nobody else was in a position to compete.”

In 2015, however, PCSO Twiddy found an external organisation called Forces Equine who organise teams and various events for serving officers.

This enabled her to compete on a mixed police team, with officers from Avon and Somerset and Derbyshire.

“I wrote to the Deputy Chief Constable Mike Veale for permission to represent the force and wear a Wiltshire Police uniform,” said PCSO Twiddy.

“I had a special PCSO tunic made for me and I was issued with a hat band and badge for my riding hat.”

On May 16, PCSO Twiddy competed at the Royal Windsor Horse Show with Forces Equine and beat off competition from 98 others, to win individually, although no individual prizes were given.

Her performance resulted in PCSO Twiddy’s team finishing sixth out of 33 teams.

“All three members of each team jumped, and then the top 12 teams went into a jump off in the afternoon where Her Majesty The Queen came to watch. Our team qualified, and I was put forward to jump again,” she said.

“I’ve now been invited to represent the UK Mainland forces in Guernsey in August. Our team has also qualified for the Forces Equine Championships.

“It was an honour to represent Wiltshire in front of the Queen."

and I am so proud to have ridden for the force. I can’t wait to do it again soon.”