A POLICEMAN and his dog have picked up a prestigious force award for stopping a man about to jump from a Purbeck cliff.

PC Mark Dent urged Jasper, a German Shepherd, into action when he found a man positioned precariously just a few feet from the cliff top near Durdle Door in March this year.

Their actions earned them the Overhills Trophy - the third time in five years the pair have won the award - and they were presented with the prize at Dorset Police's annual dog section awards ceremony at Winfrith.

Inspector Alan Ewart said: "This action undoubtedly saved the man's life and was an exceptional piece of work by both PC Dent and Jasper."

PC Dent had heard a missing man's car had been found at Durdle Door and Jasper had soon picked up a scent at the beauty spot and begun tracking.

After discovering the man close to the edge of the cliff, PC Dent began negotiations to try and coax him away.

PC Dent could not reach the man from his position on a bank 50 feet below so set Jasper off to detain him.

"The man talked to me but started getting agitated, moving like he was going to take a run and jump," said PC Dent. "I had to make an instant decision so I sent Jasper to bite him to stop him jumping."

The dog leapt on to the man's back and grounded him, allowing PC Dent to run over and detain him.

Jasper's sniffing skills have won the award twice before - for finding a suspected car thief under a digger in a quarry and also tracking down car crime suspects hidden in a tree.

Between April and November this year, Dorset Police's dog section made 436 arrests and attended 2,940 incidents.

Inspector Ewart said: "We have had another very successful year and the exercises and awards demonstrate just how professional and committed the section is to making Dorset even safer."