A HUSBAND and wife team are preparing for Olympic duties when the mountain biking event comes to Essex later this month.

Pcs Daren and Emma Chambers played a part in ensuring the safe journey of the Olympic Torch through Essex in July and are now gearing up for the two-day event at Hadleigh Farm this Saturday and Sunday.

The duo, who live in the Southend area and have been married for six years, will be taking on very different roles to make sure the 19,000 spectators expected on both days are able to enjoy the event in safety.

Daren will be taking a break from his usual role within Southend neighbourhood policing team to patrol the 550-acre site at Hadleigh Farm on a bike.

A keen cyclist himself, Daren is qualified to deliver cycle training and has trained a team of 11 other police officers to an advanced level to patrol the hilly terrain of Hadleigh Farm. He was lucky enough to have been allowed to ride the course in the months prior to the event.

Daren said: “Cycling is a personal hobby of mine so I’m really lucky to be able to combine it with work.

“The quickest way to get around Hadleigh Farm is by pedal bike so on the days of the event me and the other officers will be on hand to deal with any policing issue that may arise.”

In the run up to the Olympic event, Daren will be involved in security patrols outside the site at Hadleigh and other Olympic related sites including Basildon Sports Village.

His wife Emma won’t be on site at Hadleigh this weekend but will be taking on the role of Public Order tactical advisor at Essex Police headquarters. She’ll be on hand to advise senior officers on tactics and available resources in the event of an emergency.

Emma’s usual role is as a neighbourhood officer at Hullbridge where she has been stationed for just over two years. Before that she was based at headquarters in Chelmsford as a public order trainer.

She said: “Hadleigh is a world class venue and I’m looking forward to the event. It’s great to be involved.

“I was heavily involved in the Torch Relay through Southend, Rayleigh and Hadleigh. There was a lot of planning involved and it was hard work but it was all worth it on the day. It was a fabulous experience.”