MORE than 1,000 on-the-run criminals have been locked up by a team formed to hunt them down.

The Kirklees Police Catch and Control Team has now passed the major milestone after being established in early 2022 to find some of the district's hardest to catch offenders.

Since the team was set up, officers have pursued and hunted down scores of wanted criminals - and travelled as far as London, Middlesbrough, Cardiff and Luton to arrest people who had committed crimes in Kirklees.

Many of its targets have been people wanted for violent offences.

Sergeant Kierston Knott, who leads the team, said: "I am so proud of the difference that the team have made to keeping the people of Kirklees safe.

"They work extremely hard, often under difficult circumstances to bring offenders into custody. 

"These are often the most violent offenders, and the suspects that are the most difficult to find."